In Sudan, 25.6 million people—more than half of the population—now face acute hunger, with more than 755,000 people on the brink of famine. Within Sudan and neighbouring countries, 10.7 million people are also displaced, 7.9 million of whom have been forced from their homes since the outbreak of civil conflict on 15 April 2023.

More than half of those displaced in Sudan itself are children under the age of 18 years, with reports from the UN describing them as having ‘endured more than a year of separation, human rights violations, trauma, violence, and lack of access to basic services’.

More than half of those displaced in Sudan itself are children under the age of 18 years.

In April of this year, the Sudan Catholic Bishops Conference raised concerns that ‘the international community has forgotten the Sudan crisis.’ This is reflected by the current state of the UN’s 2024 Sudan Response Plan, with just a third of the funds required received as of the end of July.

In recognition of the dire need and the lack of funding, Caritas Internationalis and ACT Alliance have worked in consultation with the Bishops of Sudan to launch a joint appeal. This was spearheaded by member organisations CAFOD and Norwegian Church Aid, with both organisations already acting as lead implementation partners on the ground in the region.

A pregnant Sudanese refugee carrying water in neighbouring Chad. (Photo courtesy of Caritas Mongo.)

Caritas Internationalis said of the joint appeal, ‘The scale and impact of the humanitarian situation is so grave that scaling up through collaboration with other international and national actors was needed to be able to reach more communities in need.’

The appeal seeks to secure continued support for internally displaced persons, refugees and host communities ... A total of 98,322 people in need are expected to be impacted.

The appeal seeks to secure continued support for internally displaced persons, refugees and host communities in North Darfur, Gedaref, White Nile, North Kordofan, River Nile and Khartoum. The focus on water, sanitation and hygiene services (WASH), gender-based violence services, and multi-purpose cash assistance services is an effort to improve health, wellbeing and dignity, and to save lives. A total of 98,322 people in need are expected to be impacted by this activity.

Melville Fernandez, Humanitarian Emergencies Associate Director at Caritas Australia, said of the situation, ‘We are proud to be part of a large international network with strong relationships with other NGOs, as it enables us to launch joint appeals that maximise the value of every dollar generously given. When we couple that with deep, local networks on the ground—especially around some of the towns bordering Sudan that many displaced people transit through—we know a real impact can be made for those facing some of the world’s most severe challenges.’

To support Caritas Australia’s Sudan Crisis Appeal, visit www.caritas.org.au/sudan or call 1800 024 413 toll free.

Banner image: Sudanese women working as farmers in neighbouring Chad. (Photo courtesy of Caritas Mongo.)