Khartoum: Famine was declared in the Zamzam camp in North Darfur one year ago, yet little progress has been made since then. No aid trucks have reached the region, the nearby city of El Fasher remains under siege, and food prices are four times higher than in other parts of the country.
According to EMM, this marks a grim milestone for Sudan, the world's worst humanitarian crisis. The situation is exacerbated by insufficient funding, restricted access to key regions, and escalating violence, making grim milestones the norm. Sheldon Yett, the UNICEF representative in Sudan, described the situation as a looming catastrophe during his recent visit to Jebel Aulia, a locality in Khartoum state at extreme risk of famine. Many children there are severely malnourished, having been displaced multiple times, and over three-quarters of Sudanese children are out of school. The emotional toll is severe, leaving children feeling alienated in their own land.
The crisis is particularly acute for women and girls. Salvator Nkurunziza, the UN Women representative in Sudan, highlighted the gendered nature of the food insecurity crisis, describing it as not just a food crisis but a gender emergency. A recent report revealed that women-led households are three times more likely to experience severe insecurity than those led by men. The absence of men due to death, displacement, or forced disappearance has left many women as sole breadwinners, with 75 percent of women-led households unable to meet basic food needs.
Beyond food security and displacement, the human rights situation is deteriorating. Mr. Nouicer, who visited Sudan to meet government officials, expressed grave concerns about widespread violations, including extrajudicial killings, sexual violence, and arbitrary detention. These challenges are particularly severe for women, children, and people with disabilities.
Mr. Yett emphasized that the crisis is on the verge of causing irreversible damage to an entire generation of children, not due to a lack of knowledge or tools, but due to collective inaction. He stressed the importance of ensuring access to regions like Zamzam, which have been cut off from aid, especially with the rainy season approaching. Even if a ceasefire were achieved, the level of devastation and abuse demands more than just peace. The international community is urged to act with the urgency and scale that this crisis demands.