UN warns Sudan war is stripping education from millions of children
Amina J. Mohammed urges an immediate end to fighting as the conflict, now 1,210 days old, fuels the world's largest displacement crisis.
United Nations Deputy Secretary‑General Amina J. Mohammed called on an immediate halt to the fighting in Sudan, warning that the conflict has torn education away from millions of children and has helped create "the largest displacement crisis in the world." She delivered the appeal at an Arria‑format meeting of the UN Security Council devoted to protecting schooling in Sudan.
Mohammed said the war has now lasted 1,210 days and has left 33 million people — more than half of Sudan's population — dependent on humanitarian assistance.
"Among all that this war is taking away from Sudan, one of the most significant things is the country's future, because it is taking away the education of its children. Today, at least 8 million school‑age children are out of the education system, with a disproportionately large impact on millions of displaced children, especially those seeking refuge outside Sudan," she said.
Darfur and wider humanitarian collapse
Mohammed warned that the situation is particularly dire in Darfur, where nearly three‑quarters of schools have been damaged, destroyed or rendered non‑functional since the conflict began. She said five out of six children in the region are not attending school.
"Parents will tell you that they would rather keep their children at home than send them to the classroom, because home for them is the only place where they can still keep them safe," she noted.
The deputy secretary‑general also said famine has spread, with an estimated 4 million women and children expected to face acute malnutrition this year. Nearly 9 million people are internally displaced within Sudan, and millions more have fled across the country's borders. "This war must end, and it must end now," she added, calling for those responsible for crimes to be held accountable and for the rule of law to prevail.
The fighting in Sudan began in April 2023 between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) amid disputes over the RSF's integration into the armed forces. The conflict has produced one of the world's most severe humanitarian crises, with tens of thousands killed and millions displaced.
Photo: EPA-EFE/MOHAMED HOSSAM ATTENTION: This Image is part of a PH
