Three years of conflict in Sudan—How much longer must children suffer?
As Sudan’s conflict enters its third year, it has quietly become the largest child displacement crisis in the world. And yet, it barely makes the news. While the world’s gaze remains fixed elsewhere, Sudanese children are being forgotten.
What began as a violent outbreak in April 2023 has developed into one of the world’s gravest and most neglected humanitarian emergencies. More than 30 million people now require humanitarian assistance- three in every five people living in Sudan. More than 600,000 face catastrophic hunger, and nearly 15 million people, including millions of children, have been forcibly displaced. This is among the largest displacement crisis since World War II, and the largest child displacement crisis globally.
Behind those numbers are stories we may never hear—families torn apart; children pushed into hunger, trauma, and fear; women and girls targeted with horrific violence used as a weapon of war.
World Vision’s teams in the region are witnessing the human cost of this crisis every day. In our latest report, Unprecedented, we document how health systems are collapsing, schools are closed, humanitarian aid is being deliberately blocked, and children are being forced to grow up with unimaginable trauma. And yet, despite it all, international support is fading.
Only 6.3% of the global funding appeal for Sudan has been met this year. As needs skyrocket, aid is being slashed. That means fewer meals, fewer medical supplies, and less protection for those who need it most. Cuts like these will have lifelong consequences, especially for children.
New Zealand has made an important contribution, providing NZ$7.5 million in humanitarian funding since 2023 and using its voice in international forums to call for protection and humanitarian access for those in need. These are meaningful steps, and they reflect our country’s commitment to global justice and compassion. But given the scale and urgency of the crisis, we must ask: is it enough?
We’re asking our government to strengthen its response in three ways:
Sudan’s children cannot afford another year of violence and instability. They deserve to be safe. They deserve to go to school. They deserve a future.
World Vision is there, working alongside communities to deliver life-saving aid. But we can’t do it alone. We need support from governments. We need voices like yours.
If you believe every child deserves to live life in all its fullness, this is the moment to stand with them. Share this article. Talk about what’s happening. Let’s make sure Sudan’s children are seen and supported.
What began as a violent outbreak in April 2023 has developed into one of the world’s gravest and most neglected humanitarian emergencies. More than 30 million people now require humanitarian assistance- three in every five people living in Sudan. More than 600,000 face catastrophic hunger, and nearly 15 million people, including millions of children, have been forcibly displaced. This is among the largest displacement crisis since World War II, and the largest child displacement crisis globally.
Behind those numbers are stories we may never hear—families torn apart; children pushed into hunger, trauma, and fear; women and girls targeted with horrific violence used as a weapon of war.
World Vision’s teams in the region are witnessing the human cost of this crisis every day. In our latest report, Unprecedented, we document how health systems are collapsing, schools are closed, humanitarian aid is being deliberately blocked, and children are being forced to grow up with unimaginable trauma. And yet, despite it all, international support is fading.
Only 6.3% of the global funding appeal for Sudan has been met this year. As needs skyrocket, aid is being slashed. That means fewer meals, fewer medical supplies, and less protection for those who need it most. Cuts like these will have lifelong consequences, especially for children.
New Zealand has made an important contribution, providing NZ$7.5 million in humanitarian funding since 2023 and using its voice in international forums to call for protection and humanitarian access for those in need. These are meaningful steps, and they reflect our country’s commitment to global justice and compassion. But given the scale and urgency of the crisis, we must ask: is it enough?
We’re asking our government to strengthen its response in three ways:
- First, by continuing to advocate for an immediate end to the violence, for the protection of civilians, especially children and women, and for humanitarian access.
- Second, by increasing humanitarian funding to reflect the scale of the crisis. More support is urgently needed for life-saving programmes, especially cash-based assistance and essential services for children like school meals, safe spaces, and mental health support.
- And third, by rethinking how we respond to long-term crises like this one. That means moving beyond short-term emergency relief toward multi-year, flexible funding that builds resilience. We need integrated responses that combine food, water, education, protection, and peacebuilding, enabling communities to recover and rebuild in a way that lasts.
Sudan’s children cannot afford another year of violence and instability. They deserve to be safe. They deserve to go to school. They deserve a future.
World Vision is there, working alongside communities to deliver life-saving aid. But we can’t do it alone. We need support from governments. We need voices like yours.
If you believe every child deserves to live life in all its fullness, this is the moment to stand with them. Share this article. Talk about what’s happening. Let’s make sure Sudan’s children are seen and supported.