UNICEF Urges Action to Combat Severe Child Malnutrition Crisis in Sudan

Severe acute malnutrition is life-threatening, making children up to 11 times more likely to die than their well-nourished peers.

The widespread food insecurity in Sudan has a particularly devastating effect on children, creating specific and chilling risks for both boys and girls. Projections indicate that 3.7 million children will suffer from acute malnutrition this year, with over 730,000 children facing severe acute malnutrition—a condition that poses an imminent risk of death without access to treatment. These are the highest numbers recorded in a decade.

Severe acute malnutrition is life-threatening, making children up to 11 times more likely to die than their well-nourished peers. Even when children survive malnutrition, the effects on their physical and cognitive development can be lifelong and irreversible.

UNICEF, together with its partners, is intensifying efforts to prevent further deterioration. The organization has expanded its nutrition-focused partnerships to 152 localities, ensuring an operational presence in 93 priority areas. Through integrated nutrition interventions in more than 1,700 health facilities and 60 mobile teams, UNICEF has admitted more than 100,000 severely malnourished children this year alone. Additionally, 170 new nutrition sites have been established, and Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) has been distributed across 18 states of Sudan, enough to treat 180,000 children.

Despite these efforts, significant challenges remain, especially for children. The ongoing war has severely impacted the delivery of humanitarian supplies. Violence and bureaucratic hurdles impede access to conflict-affected areas, leaving countless women and children without vital nutritional support.

Facing an ever-increasing risk of conflict-induced famine, the need for a comprehensive and well-funded response is critical. UNICEF and its UN partners currently face significant funding gaps. For UNICEF alone, an additional $120 million is needed to fully implement its famine prevention plan. The organization counts on renewed and significant support from donors, and for pledges already made to come through without delay.

However, funding alone is not enough. It is crucial that all parties to the conflict, and all actors involved, facilitate immediate, unimpeded, and consistent humanitarian access through all possible crossline and cross-border routes. This access is essential so that children and their communities can receive the nutrition, water, medical care, and shelter they desperately need.

A lack of access, combined with the disruption of telecommunications networks, also affects the ability to effectively monitor the situation. It is especially important to implement food security and nutrition data collection in El Fasher, Khartoum, and other inaccessible hotspots at risk of famine. Scaling up nutrition and mortality surveys and screenings in localities with populations in IPC Phase 5, and systematically recording information for children under five, are critical steps to better reach those in need.

Most importantly, children need peace—an immediate de-escalation of the situation in El Fasher and a nationwide ceasefire. Without peace, their chances of survival diminish, and the prospect for a brighter future remains a distant dream.

It is therefore vital that the global community comes together to address this crisis with the urgency and commitment it demands. The window to avert the worst is rapidly closing, and the lives of Sudan’s children depend on collective action.