As Sudan marks a devastating milestone in its ongoing civil war, thousands of children are visibly emaciated—described as “skin and bones”—amid one of the worst hunger crises globally. UNICEF warns that urgent action is needed to prevent irreversible harm to a generation already scarred by conflict.
Famine Widens Amid Ongoing Conflict
Famine conditions, formally declared in August 2024, have expanded beyond the Zamzam displacement camp in North Darfur to other camps including Abu Shouk, Al Salam, and areas in the Western Nuba Mountains. Nearly 25 million people—about half of Sudan’s population—now face acute food insecurity, with over 600,000 in IPC Phase 5, the highest level of crisis.
Children Suffer Most Severely
UN and humanitarian agencies estimate that 3.2 million children under five will suffer from acute malnutrition in 2025, with over 770,000 cases of severe acute malnutrition—a life-threatening condition. Save the Children reports that three in four Sudanese children experience daily hunger, and rates of severe acute malnutrition have nearly quadrupled in just one year.
Observers in Khartoum’s Jebel Aulia locality report children reduced to “just skin and bones,” many displaced multiple times. Over 75% of children are out of school, and emotional trauma is widespread among young survivors.
Humanitarian Funding and Access Failures
UNICEF’s Sudan representative, Sheldon Yett, cautions that funding cuts are pushing children toward irreversible damage. Only 23% of the $4.16 billion response plan is funded, severely limiting aid operations as camps face supply blockages and roads become impassable in the rainy season. Aid interruptions—some caused by the RSF and Sudanese forces blocking convoys—are exacerbating famine, as highlighted in investigative reports.
Regional Displacement Adds to Crisis
Over 13 million people have been internally displaced since the war began in April 2023; around 4 million refugees have fled to neighboring countries, where hunger is also escalating. In Darfur’s Lagawa camp, malnutrition-related deaths continue—with 13 children reported dead in July 2025 alone.
Urgent Appeal from Aid Agencies
UN agencies and Save the Children stress that without immediate funding increases, ceasefire negotiations, and unhindered humanitarian access, the famine will expand—claiming countless more lives. They warn that children remain the first and worst-affected victims of this man-made catastrophe.
Sources: UNICEF, Reuters, Save the Children, UN News, Associated Press, AllAfrica
