– More than 5.8 million women and girls have been internally displaced within Sudan.
– Women constitute 53% of the total internally displaced population.
– In neighboring Chad, women and girls make up 90% of the refugees arriving from Sudan.
– Overall, the number of displaced people inside and outside Sudan since the start of the conflict has reached 8.6 million, the majority of whom are women and children.
Gender-Based Violence:
– There are credible reports of 21 conflict-related sexual violence incidents against at least 57 women and girls.
– Estimates suggest that about 7 million people are at risk of gender-based violence.
– Reports indicate that girls as young as seven years old have been subjected to sexual assault.
– Rape and sexual violence are being used as weapons of war to terrorize communities and destroy cultural identities.
– There are serious concerns that the actual numbers of sexual violence are much higher due to fear, social stigma, and underreporting.
– Reports include cases of forced marriage of girls as young as 12 years old, often under the threat of weapons.
– Estimates regarding the death toll vary significantly due to the difficulty of accessing information in conflict zones. Some estimates indicate more than 15,000 to 20,000 deaths by late 2024.
– In Khartoum alone, some sources documented the killing of more than 4,800 people by October 2024.
– Other reports suggest much higher figures, with a November 2024 research indicating that the number of victims could reach 130,000 directly and indirectly.
– In addition to the fatalities, there are tens of thousands of injured.
– Only less than 10% of those in need have access to GBV support services, such as clinical care, mental health support, and safe shelters.
Displacement and Refuge (Considered the Largest Displacement Crisis in the World):
– UN estimates in January 2025 indicate that the number of displaced people has reached 15 million.
– Among these, about 11.5 million people are internally displaced.
– About 3.5 million people have fled to neighboring countries as refugees.
– The main countries hosting Sudanese refugees are: Egypt, South Sudan, Chad, Ethiopia, Libya, and the Central African Republic.
Humanitarian Situation:
– Approximately 25 million people face a severe humanitarian crisis and require assistance.
– The World Food Programme faces a severe funding shortfall, needing $800 million to provide aid until September 2025, but has only received $102 million so far.
– About 25 million people (half of Sudan’s population) are suffering from severe hunger, with famine confirmed in 11 areas, including the Zamzam camp in North Darfur.
Health care:
– Mental health and psychosocial support services are severely lacking.
– More than 20 million people require urgent health assistance.
– Over 50 health workers were killed, injured, kidnapped, or arrested in 2023.
– 70-80% of health services in the areas most affected by the conflict are barely operational or have completely closed.
Education:
– Approximately 19 million school-aged children are currently out of school, representing about 90% of the country’s school-age population.
– Over 10,400 schools have been closed due to the conflict, with many others damaged or repurposed as shelters for internally displaced persons.
– More than 50% of teachers have not received their salaries for at least a year, and many have been displaced, further exacerbating the educational crisis.
References:
– United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA): Provides regular updates and reports on the humanitarian situation in Sudan, including the numbers of displaced people and those in need of assistance. You can visit the Sudan page on their website: https://www.unocha.org/sudan?hl=en-GB
– United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR): Focuses on the situation of refugees and internally displaced persons and provides statistics on their numbers and needs. You can view the Sudan page on their website: https://reporting.unhcr.org/operational/situations/sudan-situation?hl=en-GB
– Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED): Provides data on casualties and violent events in Sudan. You can visit the Sudan page on their website: https://acleddata.com/africa/horn-of-africa/sudan/
– World Food Programme (WFP): https://www.wfp.org/countries/sudan
– WHO Sudan Emergency: Sudan: top UN officials sound alarm at spike in violence against women and girls
– https://www.unicef.org/sudan/sudan-crisis-childrens-crisis-0?utm_source=chatgpt.com
