Sudan Crisis: Women, Children Face Unprecedented Violence

Sudan faces the world’s largest humanitarian crisis as a devastating civil war tears through the country. The situation has become dire with 30 million people – about 64% of the population – needing urgent humanitarian help. The conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces that began in April 2023 has created unprecedented suffering for the most vulnerable citizens.

The war has forced nearly 15 million people to flee their homes, and women and children make up more than half of these displaced individuals. This humanitarian emergency ranks among the most severe crises worldwide, yet it gets minimal international attention. The education system lies in ruins with 13 million children unable to attend school. The situation has become especially dangerous for women and girls – 12.1 million of them now risk gender-based violence, showing an 80 percent rise from last year. The crisis has taken an even darker turn as reports show sexual violence being used as a weapon against women, with victims including children as young as one year old. The international community doesn’t deal very well with these horrific violations of women’s rights in Sudan, which continue unchecked.

Sudan war displaces millions of women and children

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The brutal military conflict in Sudan has created the world’s largest displacement emergency. Millions have fled their homes to find safety. The ongoing fight between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces leaves civilians to bear the heaviest burden of a crisis now beyond control.

Over 12 million people forced from their homes

The Sudan war has uprooted nearly 12 to 15 million people since April 2023. This number represents almost one-third of Sudan’s population. Between 7.7 and 9.5 million people remain within Sudan’s borders, while more than 4.1 million have escaped to nearby countries. The UN calls this the world’s fastest-growing displacement crisis. Many families have moved multiple times as battle lines change, and more than 1 million people have faced second or third relocations.

Women and children make up the majority of the displaced

Women and children represent more than half of all displaced Sudanese. Women outnumber men among those displaced inside the country, making up 53% of the total IDP population. At least 5.8 million women and girls remain displaced within Sudan. The crisis has become the world’s largest child displacement emergency, with over 4.6 million children driven from their homes. UNICEF reports that about 28% of internally displaced persons are under 18 years old.

Conditions in camps: hunger, disease, and fear

People in displacement camps face severe shortages and constant danger. More than half of Sudan’s population—over 24.6 million people—now face acute food insecurity. Ten areas have confirmed famine cases, with 17 more at risk. People in some camps eat ambaz—residue from peanut oil extraction typically used as animal feed. Clean water remains scarce, and 80% of displaced women cannot afford or safely access it. The healthcare system has collapsed, with 80% of hospitals in conflict zones no longer working. Disease outbreaks like cholera, malaria, measles, and diphtheria spread through crowded camps. Almost 100,000 cholera cases have emerged since July 2024. Women and children remain most vulnerable to these worsening conditions.

Armed groups use sexual violence as a weapon of war

Armed groups in Sudan now think over using sexual violence as a weapon, and they systematically target women and children. Support services for rape and sexual violence survivors have seen an alarming 288% rise in people who just need help. The United Nations calls the levels of sexual abuse, including child rape, “staggering.” The number of people at risk of gender-based violence has more than tripled to 12.1 million.

Systematic rape and forced marriage in Darfur

The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied militias use sexual violence to oppress and control people. Human Rights Watch has documented widespread sexual violence by the RSF. These forces use forced marriage as a way to systematically destroy civilian communities. RSF fighters force marriages in areas they take over to strengthen their control of newly conquered communities. They abduct girls, trade them for money, or disguise mass rape as “marriage”. A girl from Gezira State was forced to marry an RSF member. Multiple fighters later claimed her as “shared property” because they had contributed to her dowry.

Girls as young as one targeted in ethnic attacks

Health providers have recorded 221 cases of rape against children since early 2024. The victims include 147 girls and 74 boys. Sixteen children were younger than 5 years old, and four victims were only one year old. Armed men select captive children and return them “covered in blood and nearly unconscious”. Some survivors tell stories of being raped while relatives watched or being taken away for extended sexual violence. Non-Arab groups like the Masalit, Zaghawa, and Fur face the most attacks.

Survivors face stigma and lack of medical care

Getting care and justice is almost impossible for survivors of sexual violence. Only one in four facilities that offer clinical management of rape services still work fully across Sudan. Darfur and Kordofan regions face the worst situation. Most survivors cannot get timely post-rape care or report attacks. Ongoing fighting, destroyed infrastructure, and fear of stigma and revenge stop them. Sudan’s culture often blames survivors instead of attackers. This creates huge social stigma and fear of punishment. Many people avoid seeking medical help because of this stigma, even with severe injuries or trauma.

Sudanese women lead grassroots humanitarian response

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Sudanese women have stepped up as humanitarian leaders amid the catastrophic conditions, building resilient support networks across their war-torn nation. Their grassroots initiatives now deliver critical services in areas where international aid cannot reach.

Women-run safe spaces and aid networks

Women across the country have set up safe spaces that protect survivors of violence. Qualified staff run confidential corners in White Nile state that provide counseling, psychosocial support, and medical help to girls and women affected by sexual violence. These spaces help survivors maintain their dignity while getting essential services. Organizations like HOPE have also created places where displaced women can find belonging and healing. The Emergency Response Rooms (ERR) network now has over 20,000 volunteers who help communities through food distribution, emergency care, and civilian evacuation. These local efforts now reach 118 localities across 14 states.

Local efforts to keep children learning

The crisis has left 17 million Sudanese children out of school. Women’s initiatives have responded by creating new ways for children to learn. Women’s Response Rooms (WRRs) now run child-friendly spaces that combine formal education—with paid teachers following the national curriculum—and creative activities like art. These spaces also offer mental health programs that help children deal with trauma.

UN Women and NGOs support women-led initiatives

UN Women supports more than 60 women-led organizations that reach people who need humanitarian assistance. The Peace for Sudan Platform brings together 49 women-led initiatives to improve communication and strengthen collective advocacy. Yet these women-led organizations receive less than one percent of humanitarian funding directly, despite proving how well they work.

Global community fails to act on Sudan crisis

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The world has failed to respond adequately to Sudan’s humanitarian catastrophe. Millions of people caught in the crossfire continue to suffer as global inaction makes the crisis worse. Sudan faces one of the world’s most severe humanitarian emergencies, but the international support remains far below what people just need.

Only 25% of humanitarian funding needs met

The 2025 Humanitarian Response Plan for Sudan needs AED 15.42 billion, but has received only 25 percent of this amount. This major funding gap puts emergency operations at risk. Local and international NGOs warn that the world’s lack of action makes the situation even worse. From the AED 4.77 billion given to Sudan’s humanitarian response, national and local NGOs received a mere AED 12.12 million directly. Many aid agencies now have to cut back or stop their work in several areas because of this financial shortfall.

Peace talks exclude women and lack urgency

The efforts to end Sudan’s conflict through diplomacy have been “limp and lackluster,” with regional divisions and poor coordination making things worse. Not a single woman took part in the Jeddah negotiations in May 2023. Research shows that peace agreements last 35 percent longer – up to 15 years – when women participate. The Peace for Sudan platform wants women to make up half of all peace process participants. Yet current peace efforts remain scattered, with separate initiatives that rarely include the people most affected by Sudan’s war.

Calls for accountability and international pressure

The UN Secretary-General wants the international community to stop weapons from flowing into Sudan. Sudan’s officials have asked the UN Security Council to take “practical measures” to protect civilians. U.S. lawmakers push to label the RSF as a terrorist organization after reports of mass killings. The European Union has set aside €270 million to help with the humanitarian crisis in 2025. This money supports coordinated, inclusive, and victim-centered solutions at different accountability levels.

Sudan faces the world’s largest humanitarian emergency, yet global powers continue to ignore it. The devastating conflict hits women and children the hardest. They make up more than half of the 15 million people forced to leave their homes. Sexual violence has become a calculated weapon of war that targets even one-year-old children. Basic services have broken down completely. Millions now lack healthcare, education, clean water, and proper food.

Sudanese women show incredible strength in this catastrophe. They lead grassroots networks that provide vital support where international aid can’t reach. These women create safe spaces for survivors and keep children’s education going. They also distribute essential supplies throughout their communities. Though these organizations work well, they get less than one percent of humanitarian funding.

The international community has failed to deal with this crisis properly. Women stay excluded from peace talks even though research shows their involvement makes lasting peace more likely. The humanitarian response gets only 25 percent of the money it needs. Diplomatic efforts lack both urgency and coordination while millions suffer daily.

Sudan needs strong action from global leaders now. They must increase humanitarian funding and include women in peace talks. Those responsible for violence must face real consequences. Without these changes, Sudanese women and children’s suffering will get worse. The world can no longer ignore this unprecedented humanitarian disaster unfolding in Sudan.