With the world’s attention on Gaza and Ukraine, another conflict rages on forgotten

Three-hundred-and-sixty-five days of fighting. Ten million people forced to flee. Eighteen million people facing food insecurity. Five million people on the brink of catastrophic hunger. These grim statistics represent the reality for the people of Sudan after one full year of violence which erupted in Khartoum, the nation’s capital. The resulting humanitarian crisis has become one of the world’s most severe, so where is the flood of concern and support? Where is the media attention? In April 2023, the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces broke out in violent clashes, leaving nearly half the country—25 million people—in desperate need of life-saving aid. Despite humanitarian organizations' efforts to sound the alarm about the impact on the people of Sudan, the global response has been surprisingly quiet. As the crisis continues day after day, one question we collectively ask is: what will it take for the world to act? The people of Sudan have displayed remarkable resilience in the face of tremendous violence. We are failing them. Homes have been destroyed, schools are being used as makeshift shelters, and food is becoming increasingly scarce. Yet the spirit of Sudanese people to rebuild their lives and communities remains strong. “I hope that the situation in the country stabilizes so that we return to our homes and schools and that peace prevails in the country,” said 14-year-old Angham, who, along with her family, was displaced from her home city of Madani. The International Organization for Migration reports 10 million people have been forced to flee—that’s one quarter of the population of Canada. Angham is one of four million children among them. This means we are witnessing the world’s largest displacement crisis, and there is a very real risk it will become one of the world’s worst hunger crises as well. Barbara Grantham, left, Danny Glenwright, Lindsay Glassco, and Onome Ako. Handout photographs After years of fighting and instability, Sudan had been grappling with its highest levels of humanitarian need in a decade even before the conflict. In the past year, the situation has continued to deteriorate. Attacks on water supply systems, health-care facilities, and farms have resulted in massive shortages of water, medicine, and food. As we have seen in armed conflicts, the biggest burden is carried by women and girls who are at heightened risk of violence and abuse. In Sudan, United Nations experts have expressed alarm at the escalation of sexual violence, with rape and abduction being used as weapons of war. Some are being forcibly married and held for ransom—major violations of international humanitarian and human rights law. In response, youth-driven and community-based organizations in Sudan are playing a leading role in the humanitarian response, supporting hospitals and securing food and water supplies. Their efforts have been instrumental in reaching people with aid, particularly those trapped in conflict or hard to reach areas—showing the world that hope is alive, and change is possible. The cost of our silence and inaction is quickly rising Despite this being one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, the situation in Sudan has received little attention from global media and the public. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the country needs $3.6-billion in humanitarian assistance, yet it has only received $195-million to date, a mere five per cent of the funding needed to heal and rebuild. Local and international aid organizations—including the ones signing on here—have been responding in every way we can. But as the fighting continues and funding falls short, we’re struggling to safely reach the people and communities in greatest need. We’ve seen the power of global action when the international community comes together to denounce international humanitarian law abuses. For Ukraine, our global outrage and support mobilized more than $3-billion in humanitarian response. Now, the same needs to be done for the people of Sudan. While the Government of Canada's commitment of more than $165-million in humanitarian funding to Sudan and its neighbouring countries affected by the crisis is commendable, there is still much more to be done. Wealthier countries must step up financial contributions to humanitarian aid amidst this dire situation. It is past time that the international community—including Canada—use its collective influence to condemn any violations of international humanitarian law in Sudan, demand a ceasefire and unrestricted humanitarian access, and provide funding to help rapidly scale up a humanitarian response. The world cannot simply stand by and ignore the suffering of 25 million people. We must join the people of Sudan in demanding and taking urgent, meaningful action to end the atrocities. As a joint group, we are saying out loud: the people of Sudan deserve better from us. Barbara Grantham is president and CEO of CARE Canada, Danny Glenwright is president and CEO of Save the Children Canada, Lindsay Glassco is president and CEO of Plan International Canada, and Onome Ako is CEO of Action Against Hunger Canada. The Hill Times