New York, November 07 (Darfur24)
The United Nations has warned that the conflict in Sudan continues to worsen civilian suffering, as shifting front lines force more families to flee their homes amid severe funding shortages and dwindling humanitarian supplies.
In a joint statement, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said approximately 15.4 million people urgently need emergency shelter and basic household supplies, including millions who have returned to their areas of origin.
The agencies said funding constraints mean they can reach only about 10% of those in need, leaving a widening gap between humanitarian needs and available resources.
The statement warned that emergency stockpiles were running dangerously low, leaving more families at risk of facing the coming winter without adequate protection from harsh weather, insecurity, violence and exploitation unless urgent and flexible funding is provided.
Abu Bakr Jallo, UNHCR’s Deputy Representative in Sudan, said three out of every four displaced people in the country are women and children.
He said field teams hear remarkably similar stories from displaced families, particularly concerning the lack of privacy and safe shelter.
“For a woman who has lost everything, a tent is not just a shelter; it represents the difference between sleeping in the open surrounded by strangers and having her own space. It means dignity, privacy, and safety for that woman and her family,” Jallo said.
He added that the El Niño phenomenon had contributed to significantly below-average rainfall in Sudan this year, affecting harvests in Darfur, Kordofan and other areas already impacted by the conflict.
Jallo noted that food prices remained painfully high despite the harvest season, when prices would normally be expected to fall.
“For a family that has lost everything, every Sudanese pound spent on food means money that cannot be spent on buying a blanket or supplies to provide safe shelter,” he said.
Mohamed Rifaat, head of IOM’s mission in Sudan, said the organization’s warehouses were now empty.
He said 16 trucks reached Darfur the previous day, carrying the last supplies remaining in IOM’s warehouses.
Meanwhile, the humanitarian response plan has received only 47% of its required $2.9 billion, forcing aid agencies to further scale back essential services.
The plan seeks to assist 20.4 million people out of the estimated 33.7 million requiring humanitarian assistance across Sudan.
