An estimated 2.7 million women of reproductive age are displaced, including over 272,000 pregnant women. Alarmingly, around 91,000 of these women are expected to give birth within the next three months, according to UNFPA.
The ongoing war in Sudan, now stretching into its 20th month, has pushed the country into a devastating humanitarian crisis. Over 12 million people have been displaced, with more than 8 million displaced internally and over 3 million fleeing to neighbouring countries.
Sudan was already grappling with years of humanitarian challenges, but the war has exacerbated the situation, particularly for women and children. Hunger, disease, and violence are rampant, and access to humanitarian aid is severely restricted, with some areas completely cut off. In Zamzam displacement camp in North Darfur, reports of famine, sexual violence, and attacks on healthcare facilities paint a grim picture of the unfolding catastrophe.
Every day, an average of 20,000 people are newly displaced, many of them pregnant women who face immense risks due to the collapse of healthcare services. With up to 80% of health facilities in affected areas either closed or barely functioning, pregnancy and childbirth-related complications are becoming deadly.
Sexual violence has become a central weapon of the conflict. Women and girls are being subjected to rape, abduction, and forced marriage at alarming rates. Since the conflict began, the number of people at risk of gender-based violence (GBV) has nearly doubled, rising from 6.9 million to 12.2 million. In the past six months alone, there has been a 400% increase in those seeking specialised GBV services.
Hunger is another pervasive threat. More than 26 million people—over half of Sudan’s population, comparable to the population of Australia—are struggling to secure daily meals. Nearly 1.5 million are either facing famine or at risk of it, including an estimated 35,800 pregnant women.
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is working tirelessly to provide life-saving reproductive healthcare and support to women and girls in Sudan. However, funding remains critically insufficient. For 2025, UNFPA urgently requires $119.6 million to address the escalating needs, yet last year’s appeal for $82 million was only 20% funded.
