One year of war in Sudan has triggered one of the world’s largest displacement crises and pushed millions to the brink of starvation. An estimated 1.2 million pregnant and breastfeeding women are acutely malnourished.

The health-care system has not been spared by the fighting – close to 80 percent of hospitals in conflict-affected areas are no longer functioning due to shortages of supplies and the displacement of staff. The health facilities that remain operational are overwhelmed by the influx of people seeking care, many of whom are internally displaced, straining the country’s health system to its very limits. Most women and girls in areas affected by conflict have no access to the reproductive health services they desperately need.

Harrowing levels of violence, including rape, kidnappings, and forced and child marriage have taken an unacceptable toll on women and girls, creating an environment of fear for those with little recourse to services, support or justice.

Despite challenges, UNFPA is working with partners to provide life-saving reproductive health and protection services in areas with high numbers of internally displaced people. This includes deploying mobile teams and supplies to build capacity for maternal health, including emergency obstetric care, and for the clinical management of rape, as well as for supporting safe spaces.
 

Updated on 1 April 2024