Agency official warns Sudan conflict is driving a child humanitarian catastrophe

An agency official addressed the United Nations Security Council on the escalating humanitarian emergency in Sudan, saying the conflict has entered its fourth year and describing it as the world's largest humanitarian crisis.

The official cited UNHCR estimates of more than 3.5 million refugees and over 6.5 million internally displaced people since 2023 and warned that fighting around population and humanitarian hubs puts hundreds of thousands at immediate risk. "Children are at an immediate and growing danger of being killed, injured, displaced, or exposed to other grave violations," the official said.

The statement included a personal account to illustrate the stakes: "Amina, a midwife in Tawela, North Darfur," who fled violence and "lost almost everything," continues to provide antenatal and postnatal care. "I still have something to give even after losing everything," the speaker quoted her as saying, calling individual aid workers "a lifeline" for millions of children.

The speaker summarized verified harm to children and civilian infrastructure: more than 5,700 grave violations against children since the conflict began, with over 5,000 children killed or maimed (a figure the speaker said is likely an underestimate), and an asserted rise in drone-related casualties, which accounted for nearly 80% of reported child casualties in the first four months of the year.

The briefing described how attacks on infrastructure have compounded humanitarian need. The speaker said a strike on energy infrastructure in White Nile State disabled a major water-treatment facility, forcing families to use untreated river water and triggering thousands of cholera cases. "Children died," the speaker said, adding that schools closed and tens of thousands of students lost access to education.

On education and nutrition, the official said nearly half of Sudan's school buildings cannot function, at least 8 million children are out of school, nearly 19.5 million people face acute hunger in parts of the country, and an estimated 825,000 children under 5 are expected to suffer severe acute malnutrition this year.

The speaker highlighted recent humanitarian operations: after months of negotiation UNICEF and partners delivered life-saving supplies to Deleng and Kadugli for nearly 39,000 people and sent critical health, nutrition and WASH supplies for about 35,000 people in Mumbaru. "It took us months to negotiate that," the official said, noting that more than 400 UNICEF staff continue to work alongside partners wherever access is possible. The speaker added last-year program totals: protection, education and psychosocial support to 3.5 million children; safe drinking water for more than 15 million people; and treatment for more than 600,000 children with severe acute malnutrition.

The address concluded with four urgent requests to the council: immediate steps to prevent further escalation and establish humanitarian corridors and child-protection services in and around Al Ubaid/Lubayid; a unanimous call for parties to protect schools, hospitals and water systems and for states to refrain from transferring explosive weapons likely to be used against civilians; stronger support for negotiation and engagement with the secretary-general's personal envoy; and continued pressure on parties to facilitate rapid, safe and unimpeded humanitarian access across conflict lines.

The official closed by saying: "The children of Sudan cannot survive on expressions of concern. They need protection. They need food, water, health care, and education. They need humanitarian access. But above all, they need this war to end."