About 12 percent of Sudan’s 22 million children are going without enough food daily due to the ongoing fighting in the country, Save the Children has revealed.

Development Diaries reports that despite the agency shutting down most of its operations in the country for security reasons it has reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring humanitarian needs reach those who need it the most.

Humanitarian needs in Sudan are on the rise as conflict, rising food prices, disease outbreaks, climate-related hazards and Covid-19 have left 15.8 million in need of life-saving aid.

The recent escalation in armed violence between the Sudanese army and other armed groups has worsened the situation for millions as essential services remain out of reach for several vulnerable groups.

‘There has never been a more important time to affirm our dedication to Sudan and we are committed to stay and deliver’, the Country Director of Save the Children in Sudan, Arshad Malik, said.

‘Children’s lives are at risk as supplies of food and water dry up and the health system plunged into chaos. Save the Children Sudan will not abandon its work, staff or the communities we have served since 1983.

‘Before the current escalation of violence and mass displacement, Sudan was already going through its worst-ever humanitarian emergency due to years of conflict, climate-induced natural disasters, disease outbreaks, and economic crisis.

‘Now we’re seeing more children than ever going hungry. About 12 percent of the country’s 22 million children are going without enough food daily.

‘We have suspended some of our programmes in Sudan due to concerns about the safety of our staff, children and our operations but some continue and we will resume our work as soon as it is safe to do so’.

Save the Children urged the warring parties to agree to a ceasefire, protect humanitarian access and uphold international humanitarian law.

Source: Save the Children

Photo source: United Nations