Sudan
What is happening in North Darfur, Sudan?
After months of warning signs, famine has officially been confirmed in Zamzam camp in Sudan’s North Darfur region, which hosts 500,000 displaced people.
People living in Zamzam have survived the most harrowing violence. Their villages were destroyed. Their hospitals were attacked. They had no choice but to flee for their lives.
In Zamzam they had hoped to find safety and protection. Instead, they’re facing extreme hunger and disease while conflict continues to escalate around them, cutting them off from life-saving humanitarian aid. The camp is close to El Fasher, one of the flashpoints of the ongoing war between government forces and a paramilitary group.
What is famine?
Famine is confirmed when three conditions occur together in a geographical area:
- At least 20 per cent of the population must be facing extreme levels of hunger
- At least 30 per cent of children must be experiencing ‘wasting’ from malnourishment
- Daily mortality rates double from 1 in every 10,000 adults to 2 in every 10,000 adults.
An official confirmation of famine is rare. The Famine Review Committee (FRC) is the expert body that investigates famine declarations. This is only the third time it has confirmed famine anywhere in the world in the past 20 years.
Suffering is extreme and widespread. There are reports that people in Zamzam are resorting to eating leaves and dirt, while satellite imagery shows cemeteries in the camp expanding rapidly.
What caused the famine?
Conflict and lack of humanitarian access are the two main drivers of famine in Sudan.
The dangerous conditions mean that food aid last entered Zamzam in April. Only limited food is available in the camp’s markets and prices have skyrocketed, with some staples almost tripling in price. Most people are only eating one meal per day.
“We need the guns to be silenced to enable humanitarians to reach the people in need,” says Clementine Nkweta-Salami, UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan. “We need an urgent injection of funding for the aid operation as well as safe and unimpeded humanitarian access, including across borders and battle lines.”
What is happening elsewhere in Sudan?
It’s been 16 months since war broke out in Sudan. In that time, at least 18,000 people have been killed. More than 10 million people – a quarter of the entire population – have been forced to flee. There are devastating reports of ethnic violence, sexual violence, and violations against children – including recruitment into armed conflict.
The hunger and suffering aren’t confined to North Darfur. Sudan is facing the worst levels of food security in its history. The situation across the country is dire, with another 13 areas at risk of famine. Almost 26 million people are experiencing acute hunger – the equivalent of the population of Australia.
What is UNHCR doing to help?
UNHCR’s teams remain on the ground in Sudan and in neighbouring countries which host refugees, delivering life-saving aid wherever possible. They are identifying and assisting those most at risk, especially women and children.
With your support, dedicated staff are providing shelter, emergency supplies, clean water, malnutrition screenings and healthcare. They are also distributing emergency cash – a lifeline that helps hungry families purchase food, medicine and other basics.
The needs are immense, yet the humanitarian response is desperately underfunded.
Please don’t look away from the hunger crisis unfolding in Sudan. Give generously to stop the catastrophe spreading and help save lives now.
