Sudan is grappling with a critical humanitarian crisis, marked by ongoing conflict, widespread displacement, and a severe lack of essential services. As of October 2024, over 24 million people are in urgent need, with women and girls facing elevated risks amid deteriorating conditions. Access to healthcare remains restricted, severely impacting sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and gender-based violence (GBV) services, which are urgently needed due to the rising number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and the escalation of violence. Further compounding the crisis, disease outbreaks and extensive flooding have intensified vulnerabilities, leaving communities without adequate shelter and straining already limited resources across the country.
UNFPA’s response focuses on delivering life-saving SRH and GBV services to address these pressing needs. Throughout the third quarter, UNFPA distributed Inter-Agency Emergency Reproductive Health Kits to strategic service points and expanded mobile health units, enabling critical care for displaced women in high-risk areas. Specialized teams, including midwives and GBV support providers, have been deployed across conflict and flood-affected regions, ensuring access to safe deliveries, family planning, and psychosocial support for survivors of violence. In addition, 49 safe spaces for women and girls remain operational, providing essential support, referrals, and dignity kits to enhance the safety and resilience of women facing compounded challenges.
In 2024, UNFPA Sudan is appealing for US$ 82.9 million to respond to the GBV and SRH needs of those most in need, including refugees in Sudan. To date, only around 34% of this funding has been pledged. Continued and increased support is vital to uphold essential SRH and GBV programs amid the rapidly evolving crisis, ensuring that the most at-risk populations can access the care and protection they desperately need.
