The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
Six days of escalating violence in Sudan between rival military forces, and several failed ceasefires, have taken a devastating toll on the country’s children, the UN Child Agency (UNICEF) said today at a briefing at the United Nations in Geneva.
“We now have reports of at least 9 children killed, at least 50 have been injured,” said UNICEF spokespersonJames Elder. “Those numbers will continue to rise as long as fighting continues. What is really important to remember is that this fighting, as many of you will have seen, also means you have large numbers of people trapped so they haven’t got access to electricity, and they are terrified of running out of food, of water, of medicines.”
Before hostilities started in Sudan, humanitarian needs for children were higher than ever before. Three quarters of children were estimated to live in extreme poverty, 11,5 million children and community members needed emergency water and sanitation services. Sudan has one of the highest malnutrition rates among children in the world.
“We have now got a situation where critical life-saving support for over 50,000 children is at risk, severely, acutely malnourished children,” said UNICEF’s James Elder. “Now these children are in hospitals because they have the most severe cases so they are being fed with tubes because that is essentially the only way they can be fed, and when the bombing or shelling begins outside hospitals, and when medical staff need to flee, then what?”
The fighting has worsened the situation of vulnerable children in the country, so UNICEF. It also puts at risk the cold chain in Sudan, including over USD 40 million worth of vaccines and insulin, due to the breaks in the power supply and the instability to restock generators with fuel.
“Humanitarian assistance is critical now. UNICEF and our partners can’t provide that support when that safety and security of staff is not guaranteed,” said James Elder. “As the UN Secretary-General has been saying for a week, we need forces to immediately cease hostilities- for all parties to respect their international obligations to keep children away from harm.”
UNICEF also calls on all parties to refrain from attacking civilian infrastructure on which children depend such as water and sanitation systems, health facilities and schools.
“In terms of what can be done, that is why for the moment you keep hearing from the Secretary-General that it requires a cease-fire, because the fighting has been so indiscriminate and so many staff members and partners and so many brave non-governmental organizations on the ground on whom UN agencies rely- they are bunkering down, and going to the Nile to try and get water despite the lack of safety in that both in terms of sanitation and being under fire,” said James Elder.
According to a spokesperson from the World Health Organization (WHO) who cited a Sudanese government source, 413 people died and 3,551 were injured since the conflict broke out on Saturday.
WHO informed further that they have verified 11 attacks on health care facilities that took place since 15th April and that an additional 20 have stopped working.
-ends-
STORY: Millions of Children at Risk in Sudan- UNICEF
TRT: 02’17”
SOURCE: UNTV CH
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH/NATS
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
RELEASE DATE: 21 April 2023
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
SHOTLIST
- Exterior wide shot: UN flag alley UN Geneva.
- Wide shot of monitors and podium, conference room, Palais des Nations, Geneva
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) James Elder, spokesperson for the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF): “We now have reports of at least 9 children killed, at least 50 have been injured. Those numbers will continue to rise as long as fighting continues. What is really important to remember is that this fighting, as many of you will have seen, also means you have large numbers of people trapped so they haven’t got access to electricity, and they are terrified of running out of food, of water, of medicines.”
- Medium shot, journalists in the room, with the speaker and monitor in the background
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) James Elder, spokesperson for the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF): “We have now got a situation where critical life-saving support for over 50,000 children is at risk, severely, acutely malnourished children. Now these children are in hospitals because they have the most severe cases so they are being fed with tubes because that is essentially the only way they can be fed, and when the bombing or shelling begins outside hospitals, and when medical staff need to flee, then what?”
- Close-up, journalists in the room
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) James Elder, spokesperson for the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF): “Humanitarian assistance is critical now. UNICEF and our partners can’t provide that support when that safety and security of staff is not guaranteed. As the UN Secretary-General has been saying for a week, we need forces to immediately cease hostilities- for all parties to respect their international obligations to keep children away from harm.”
- Close-up: journalists
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) James Elder, spokesperson for the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF): “In terms of what can be done, that is why for the moment you keep hearing from the Secretary-General that it requires a cease-fire, because the fighting has been so indiscriminate and so many staff members and partners and so many brave non-governmental organizations on the ground on whom UN agencies rely- they are bunkering down, and going to the Nile to try and get water despite the lack of safety in that both in terms of sanitation and being under fire.”
- Close-up, journalists typing
- Close-up: technician
- Medium shot: cameraperson and monitor
Similar Stories
1
1
1
Edited News | UNFPA , IFRC
Lebanon faces escalating violence, with new mothers uncertain of safety amid ongoing crises.
1
1
1
Edited News | FAO , UNHCR , WHO
Sudan: 14 million displaced; hunger and attacks on health continue as war enters fourth year
As Sudan approaches the third anniversary of a brutal civil war, millions remain displaced and hungry while the health system lies in ruins, with no end to the violence in sight, UN agencies said on Friday.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO , UNHCR , WFP
Lebanon: People ‘still under the rubble’ after massive strikes as ambulances, hospitals come under threat – UN humanitarians
With Lebanon still reeling from Israel’s devastating airstrikes on 8 April, UN humanitarians reported new fears of attacks on ambulances and looming food shortages in the south of the country on Friday.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNHCR , WHO
Lebanon: disease risks on the rise as displacement surges
With displacement in Lebanon past the one million mark, UN humanitarians warned on Tuesday about the spread of infectious diseases in shelters and surging mental health needs.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNIFIL
UN peacekeepers are supporting civilians who’ve chosen to stay in the south amid deadly dangers from Israel-Hezbollah clashes, UNIFIL spokesperson Kandace Ardiel tells us.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNHCR , WFP
Middle East war fallout: Hundreds of thousands flee Lebanon to Syria; vital food aid blocked – UN agencies
The trauma of mass displacement and humanitarian supply chain disruptions throughout the world are among the devastating impacts of the war raging in the Middle East, UN humanitarians warned on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNRWA
Bitterness, sadness and pride for UNRWA staff, says departing chief
Asking the softly spoken, veteran humanitarian worker Philippe Lazzarini how he feels as he comes to the end of his second term as the head of the UN agency for Palestinians, UNRWA, is perhaps an unfair question.
1
1
1
Edited News | IFRC , UN WOMEN , UNHCR , UNICEF , WHO
Middle East war causes civilian terror and disrupts aid, but some relief efforts resume.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk addressed the Human Rights Council, delivering a video statement on the strike that hit a girls school in Minab, Iran recently, calling for accountability and protection of children.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
A new UN Human Rights report published on Tuesday details the human rights impacts of the expanding reach of gangs in Haiti. According to data verified by the Office, at least 5,519 people were killed in Haiti, and 2,608 were injured between 1 March 2025 and 15 January 2026.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights spokesperson Marta Hurtado on Tuesday described the deadly impact of drone strikes in Sudan.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO , OHCHR
Sudan: Hospital strike highlights surge in drone attacks on civilians
The death toll from a horrific attack on a hospital in Sudan’s Darfur has risen further, amid a “sharp increase” in drone attacks against civilians this year, UN agencies said on Tuesday.