News
Crisis and Consequence: The Escalating Humanitarian Emergency in Sudan
Since the war broke out in the capital of Sudan, Khartoum, in April 2023, Sudan has witnessed the biggest humanitarian crisis in the world. The Sudanese civilians have fled to the different Sudan states and different countries for safety.
Conflict and Displacement
Initially concentrated in the capital, the war spread to other regions, rendering the entire country unsafe. On April 5, 2024, the RSF Militia perpetrated a brutal massacre on the borders of White Nile and Al-Jazeera states, killing over 100 villagers with heavy weaponry. The conflict has particularly intensified in Al Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, where over 800,000 civilians are trapped amid relentless fighting and aerial bombings. Essential services, including healthcare, have collapsed, and the prices of basic necessities such as food, water, and fuel have surged, making them unaffordable for most people.
Humanitarian Impact
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) warns that the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Sudan could exceed ten million imminently. As of this week, 9.9 million people are displaced across Sudan's 18 states, with 7.1 million displaced since the April 2023 conflict began. Women and children under five make up a significant portion of the IDP population. Overall, around 12 million people have been forced to flee their homes, with more than 2 million seeking refuge in neighbouring countries, primarily Chad, South Sudan, and Egypt.
Education Crisis
The conflict has severely impacted education, leaving 19 million school-age children without access to formal education. Over 90% of the nearly 23,000 schools in Sudan are either closed or inaccessible.
Media and Journalism
The media landscape in Sudan has been devastated, with over 90% of newspapers shut down. Journalists have lost their income and become targets for both warring factions, further stifling the free press and the dissemination of information.
Cultural Context
More than 10 Museums, Cultural Centers and Memory Institutions were confirmed to be looted and vandalized. As a result, the memory of thousands of years of civilization, Indigenous knowledge and traditions in a country is threatened. This knowledge bridges Arab and African cultures with distinctive variability, with 200 Indigenous communities spread over Sudan and 67 indigenous languages spoken. In addition, the murder and forced migration of many artists and culture professionals, with harsh livelihood conditions, has affected the social cohesion, with war taking tribal bias dimension and threatening the existence of the Country.
The situation in Sudan remains dire, with a rapidly escalating displacement crisis, widespread destruction of essential services, and a profound impact on education and media. UNESCO remains vigilant in following and addressing the escalations with support from the international community to address the ongoing humanitarian disaster and support the millions affected by the conflict.
