UNICEF: Sudan Records Largest Child Displacement in World

On 29 October 2023, UNICEF Sudan announced that Sudan now records the largest child displacement in world with 3 million children forcibly displaced due to the ongoing war in Sudan.

#Sudan records largest child displacement in world with ~3 million children forcibly displaced.

Further escalation of war is forcing more children to flee their homes & at risk of violence, abuse & exploitation.

Fighting should stop for children to be safe & well, learn & play. pic.twitter.com/GeQirfJBlm

— UNICEF Sudan (@UNICEFSudan) October 29, 2023

According to UNICEF Executive Director, Catherine Russell, the ongoing war in Sudan has displaced 3 million children. She and expressed concern over escalating violence in Khartoum, Nyala and El Fasher, fearing it would bring further death and destruction.

In #Sudan, nearly 200 days of war has displaced 3M children and killed 9K civilians, including children.

Escalating violence in Khartoum, Nyala & El Fasher is feared to bring further death and destruction.

The future of an entire generation is at risk.

Children need peace. pic.twitter.com/7DwsgxQzCJ

— Catherine Russell (@unicefchief) October 30, 2023

In addition, 19 million children in Sudan are out of school as war rages on, according to UNICEF and Save the Children. Even before the conflict erupted in April, nearly 7 million children were already out of school in a country grappling with poverty and instability. ‘If the war continues, no child in Sudan will be able to go back to school in the coming months, leaving them exposed to immediate and long-term dangers, including displacement, recruitment by armed groups and sexual violence,’ UNICEF stated.

On 15 October 2023, Sudan marked since months of the war in Sudan, which broke out on 15 April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), led by the de facto ruler of Sudan General Abdel Fattah Al Burhan, and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), led by the leader of the RSF, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti).

At least 9,000 people have been killed and more than 7 million have been displaced. At least 3 million people have been internally displaced, and at least 4 million have fled the country to neighbouring countries such as Egypt, Chad, South Sudan and Ethiopia.

For more information or to donate, visit help.unicef.org/sudan-emergency-org