Sudan is facing one of the most severe humanitarian crises of the 21st century. The brutal conflict, which erupted in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has devastated the nation. Over 30 million people—more than half of Sudan’s population—are in desperate need of urgent humanitarian aid. This crisis has precipitated widespread displacement, acute food insecurity, health emergencies, and a profound threat to children’s futures. This analysis examines the scale of Sudan’s humanitarian catastrophe in 2025, incorporating relevant facts, figures, and stakeholder statements, while highlighting the implications for the people caught in the middle of this conflict.
Scale and Impact of the Crisis
Since the outbreak of violence in April 2023, Sudan’s social and economic infrastructure has been decimated. The United Nations estimates that over 30.4 million people require humanitarian assistance, including 16 million children, which represents half the country’s population. Among those affected are 8.9 million internally displaced persons (IDPs), 6.4 million members of host communities, and close to a million refugees either within or outside Sudan’s borders.
The scale of displacement is staggering. Since the conflict’s onset, approximately 12 million people have been displaced, including 8.8 million forced to flee their homes internally and over 3 million who have crossed international borders into neighboring countries. This massive displacement is described by relief organizations as the largest global displacement crisis in less than two years.
This unfolding catastrophe has severely strained humanitarian infrastructure. Many displaced people live in overcrowded camps or are forced to return to homes damaged by fighting but lacking access to essential services like clean water, healthcare, and education.
Acute Food Insecurity and Famine
Food insecurity in Sudan has surged dramatically. Acute food insecurity has more than tripled since before the conflict, affecting over half the population. The World Food Programme (WFP) warns that 24.6 million people face acute hunger, with 637,000 in catastrophic conditions that are officially classified as famine. Famine has been confirmed in at least 10 locations, including the Zamzam camp, a displacement camp housing 400,000 people, with 17 more areas at imminent risk.
The dire situation is compounded by damaged agricultural infrastructure and disruptions to markets caused by ongoing hostilities and blockades. The WFP has called for urgent funding of $658 million to continue providing life-saving food assistance through early 2026. Without immediate and large-scale humanitarian intervention, experts fear that hundreds of thousands will die from starvation and malnutrition.
Health Crisis and Protection Concerns
Sudan’s civilians also face a worsening health crisis. Outbreaks of cholera, dengue, and malaria have emerged amid the collapse of health services and sanitation infrastructure. Over 12 million people are at risk from gender-based violence, which has increased by 80% compared to the previous year, disproportionately affecting women and children.
Children are suffering extraordinarily, with 24 million affected by the crisis and 17 million out of school, creating what one UN report calls a “generational catastrophe.” The disruption of education places millions of children at heightened risk of exploitation, early marriage, and recruitment by armed groups, perpetuating cycles of poverty and instability.
Stakeholder Views and International Response
The humanitarian situation has elicited urgent calls from various international organizations and relief agencies. Kelly Clements, Deputy High Commissioner at UNHCR, described the crisis as “one of the worst protection crises we’ve seen in decades,” emphasizing the immense human suffering. Similarly, Shaun Hugues, Regional Emergency Coordinator at the WFP, stated:
“This is a manmade crisis, driven by conflict – not by drought or floods or earthquakes,”
highlighting that obstruction of humanitarian access by parties to the conflict exacerbates the suffering.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM), UNHCR, UNICEF, and WFP issued a joint plea for immediate international action, urging safe, unrestricted humanitarian access to save lives. Ugochi Daniels, IOM’s Deputy Director General for Operations, emphasized the fragility of populations returning to war-torn areas with little to no basic services, saying:
“Those returning are facing deeply precarious situations with barely functioning water, healthcare, and sanitation.”
The Kofi Annan Foundation has also called on regional bodies such as IGAD and the African Union to exert maximum pressure for cessation of hostilities and political resolution leading to civilian governance.
Despite these efforts, humanitarian access remains the greatest barrier. Over 110 aid workers have been killed, injured, or abducted since the conflict began, complicating relief efforts and delaying assistance delivery to those in need.
Funding Needs and Humanitarian Plans
The 2025 Sudan Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan requires $4.2 billion to support 20.9 million of the most vulnerable individuals with life-saving assistance, protection, and access to basic services. This amount translates roughly to 50 cents per person per day but is critical for the survival of millions.
International donors and governments have pledged aid, yet funding shortfalls continue to jeopardize relief operations. The prolonged conflict, unpredictable fighting, and volatile security situation call for flexible, well-resourced humanitarian responses capable of adapting to rapidly changing conditions on the ground.
Ongoing Conflict and Humanitarian Access
The war between SAF and RSF has persisted with intense fighting in strategic regions like Khartoum, Darfur, and Kordofan. Reports note the RSF controlling most of Darfur while the SAF retains a stronghold in El Fasher, the last major SAF-held city in the region. The constant reshuffling of territorial control prolongs insecurity and disrupts civilian livelihoods.
Civilian populations are caught between the violence and have suffered indiscriminate airstrikes, drone attacks, and ground offensives. On September 19, 2025, a drone strike in El Fasher reportedly killed over 70 civilians, marking one of the deadliest days in the area during the siege.
The ongoing conflict severely restricts humanitarian corridors, increasing the risk of famine and disease outbreaks. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warns of the “highly volatile and unpredictable” situation with serious risks of renewed violence, worsening displacement, and disrupted aid operations.
The Urgent Humanitarian Imperative
Sudan’s situation represents a stark reminder that the human cost of protracted conflict is measured not only in lives lost through violence but in the slow death caused by hunger, disease, and displacement. With over half the population on the edge of survival, the international community faces a critical moment.
As Kelly Clements sternly noted, this crisis is “one of the worst protection crises we’ve seen in decades,” underlining the urgency for diplomatic intervention, humanitarian access, and increased funding. Without immediate and coordinated action, millions more Sudanese risk death, displacement, and permanent destruction of their social fabric.
The humanitarian crisis in Sudan is complex, demanding multifaceted responses addressing security, protection, food security, health, and education. The world’s attention must stay focused on Sudan and translate into tangible support for the millions pushed to this brink.
