CIVICUS discusses Sudan’s humanitarian crisis with a Sudanese women’s rights activist with extensive experience in peacebuilding. She has asked to stay anonymous for security reasons.
Sudan has been home to a civil war since April 2023. The country is now facing a severe famine affecting millions of people. A cholera outbreak has worsened the situation, further straining a health system already on the brink of collapse, and recent floods have displaced thousands. Women and girls are disproportionately affected by the conflict and humanitarian crisis. With aid access severely restricted and relief efforts hampered, the crisis continues to deepen.
What’s the security situation in Sudan and how is it affecting people’s daily lives?
The situation is extremely worrying. Two main factions, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF), are fighting fiercely for power. Although the conflict began in April 2023, fighting has recently become particularly intense in the capital, Khartoum, North Darfur’s capital El Fasher, and Gezira state. Tragically, the bombing and shelling are concentrated in civilian areas, causing widespread harm to those who live there.
However, this war is not just a domestic struggle between two generals – it also involves regional powers such as the United Arab Emirates , which has provided significant arms support to the RSF. This external involvement has escalated the violence and led to gross human rights abuses, including the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war.
The overall security situation is dire, particularly for civil society activists, who face a near-total closure of civic space as a result of actions by both factions. To make matters worse, a complete internet and communications blackout has made it increasingly difficult for activists to gather and share accurate information about the situation.
How is Sudanese civil society working to address the crisis?
Sudan has become one of the most hostile environments in the world for civil society, which faces severe restrictions and unprecedented levels of violence, including attacks, arrests and detentions of activists. The conflict has devastated infrastructure, particularly in Khartoum, where many organisations were based. It has become almost impossible for humanitarian organisations to operate.
Traditional aid agencies, including those of the United Nations (UN) and large international civil society, are struggling to deliver aid due to severe government restrictions and obstructions imposed by both warring parties. In response, local grassroots groups – many led by young people and women – have stepped in.
Sudanese civil society has decades of experience in resisting dictatorship, and although the situation is unprecedented in terms of the level of violence and restrictions, it has responded. Emergency Response Rooms , which grew out of the Anti-Regime Resistance Committees, are playing a crucial role in delivering humanitarian aid. In many areas international agencies cannot reach, they have taken on the role of local authorities, providing essential services such as electricity, food and healthcare. Despite limited resources and in the worst of circumstances, their impact has been immense.
However, large-scale assistance is still needed. Sudan is experiencing the world’s largest humanitarian crisis, but remains largely ignored by the international community.
What are the most urgent humanitarian needs?
According to the UN , some 26 million Sudanese people are in urgent need of humanitarian aid, particularly food. While the government refuses to formally declare a famine , some UN agencies and humanitarian groups have done so.
To make matters worse, 80 per cent of Sudan’s healthcare system has ceased to function. There are outbreaks of cholera and dengue fever, and dozens of people are dying from preventable causes. Just recently, Doctors Without Borders reported the highest number of maternal deaths this year in South Darfur. Children are also severely affected, with increasing cases of malnutrition and daily reports of starvation deaths.
Sudan also has the largest internally displaced population in the world, estimated at about 12 million . In addition, two million people have become refugees in neighbouring countries. Climate change is exacerbating the situation, with floods displacing even more people.
The Sudanese state has virtually collapsed, with basic services non-existent and infrastructure such as communications largely destroyed. There’s great need for food, healthcare and shelter, but the ongoing conflict and lack of infrastructure make delivering aid a huge challenge.
What should the international community do to help?
First and foremost, they must care. The suffering in Sudan is no less important than that in other parts of the world, but it’s often overlooked because it’s an African country where ‘ Black people are fighting each other’. This must change. Just a few years ago, Sudanese people were hailed around the world for overthrowing a dictatorship and embracing democracy. The same international community that cheered us on then should now help us survive this war.
We need targeted international action to address the root causes of the conflict, including cutting off arms and funding to the RSF and pushing for meaningful negotiations to secure a ceasefire. The safety of activists, human rights defenders and peacebuilders must also be prioritised. Above all, Sudan must be put back on the international agenda. We cannot afford to be forgotten.
