Lack of funding leaves humanitarians struggling to respond to deepening crisis in Sudan
The deepening humanitarian crisis in Sudan and neighboring countries is “dire” and the lack of international funding to support the emergency response has left humanitarian organizations like Concern Worldwide struggling to cope, and the Sudanese people feeling “forgotten”, according to aid worker Reka Sztopa who has just returned from the region.
After 21 months of conflict, Sudan is currently the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. Over 11.2 million people have been forced to flee their homes, with three million leaving for neighboring countries such as South Sudan and Chad.
The levels of food insecurity, malnutrition, and disease are soaring. Currently, almost 26 million people are experiencing acute hunger, with 755,000 facing famine-like conditions.
Famine was confirmed in a large displacement camp in North Darfur earlier this year. Last month, the Famine Early Warning Systems Network warned it was alarmed that similar extreme acute food insecurity outcomes are occurring among displaced communities in South Kordofan.
“While the humanitarian community, and Concern, are doing what we can, there is too little funding and too few resources to meet the unprecedented needs,” said Reka Sztopa, Concern’s Regional Director who has just returned from the Sudan/Chad border.
“It’s no wonder that people I talked with there feel they have been forgotten – it is inhuman to think that people can survive, let alone thrive, with such little support. We all need to do more to ensure that the basic elements of life -- food, water, shelter, health care and protection -- are made available to everyone who has been displaced due to this conflict.”
The above-average rainfall and historic flooding during this year’s rainy season have destroyed crops and contaminated water sources. Cases of cholera and dengue fever are rising across the country. More than 70% of Sudan’s health clinics are not functioning.
Concern has worked in Sudan since 1986 and is responding on the ground, and supporting people who have crossed into neighboring Chad and South Sudan.
Within Sudan, Concern supports and supplies health and nutrition services in clinics across the country and has reached 93 facilities since the start of the conflict. The clinics are treating acutely malnourished children, pregnant women and new mothers. They are also providing wider health services and have reached over 234,000 people with health and nutrition support so far.
In total, Concern has reached more than 350,000 people across all areas of operation since April 2023. In addition to health and nutrition support, Concern is delivering cash assistance, food aid, and essential emergency items, including pots, pans, blankets, tarpaulin, soap, and menstrual pads, to displaced families.
In eastern Chad, over 1.1 million refugees and returnees have crossed the border since the conflict began. Over 85% of these are women and children. People are fleeing unprecedented levels of physical and sexual violence, often arriving traumatized, with only the clothes on their backs.
In Chad, Concern is supporting primary health and nutrition services to displaced people and host communities. This includes operating a health post in the refugee camp of Zabout, where more than 55,000 refugees have been relocated, including 10,000 children under the age of five.
The Chad-based response also includes:
Building 36 boreholes to provide safe drinking water in displaced sites and surrounding villages for more than 68,500 people.
Supporting communities by providing cash transfers and programs to help create sustainable livelihoods and income-generating activities for more than 10,200 households.
Supporting access to primary schools close to displacement sites in Sila, by providing additional teachers, school kits, small rehabilitation and classroom furniture, and psychosocial activities.
“Despite the efforts of humanitarian actors, access to basic services remains a huge challenge in the host areas,” Concern’s Country Director in Chad, Clemence Eberschweiler, said. “The sudden and brutal floods in August increased the vulnerability of hundreds of thousands of people. We need everyone's support to help improve access to the most basic and vital services and preserve the dignity of people living in extremely vulnerable circumstances.”
South Sudan
Since the Sudan conflict began over 848,000 people have crossed into South Sudan. The majority were South Sudanese nationals returning to an already fragile and overstretched system. Unity State and Northern Bahr el Ghazal were hit particularly hard, with returnees and refugees pushing local services and humanitarian resources to their limits.
Concern has responded by providing cash assistance to returnee families, emergency shelters, healthcare and water and sanitation services in transit hubs like Rotriak and Bentiu.
“Our teams are also tackling gaps in food security and nutrition, working closely with local authorities and partners to ensure the most vulnerable are supported,” Concern’s Country Director in South Sudan, Zlatko Gegic, said. “Cross-border coordination with our Sudan team has been crucial in aligning our responses. Continued global support is essential to meet the overwhelming needs and ensure no one is left behind.”
Funding
Despite the scale of the crisis and the response needed to address the widespread suffering in Sudan, sufficient funding has not been provided. Up to end of October just 56.6% of the USD$2.7 billion needed for this year for the Sudan Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan was received.
"A comprehensive and coordinated response from the international community is crucial to ensure that all parties to the conflict guarantee humanitarian organisations safe access across national borders and conflict lines, and facilitate their commitment to the humanitarian principal of neutrality" said Reka Sztopa. "Additionally, humanitarian organisations require the necessary funding and resources to effectively scale their efforts and mitigate this humanitarian catastrophe."
