Hommam Al Nassim 
Three United Nations agencies have warned of a “significant deterioration” in the nutrition of children and their mothers in war-torn Sudan and called for “urgent action.”
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the World Health Organization and the World Food Program explained in a joint statement that “the lives of Sudanese children are at risk and urgent action is needed to protect an entire generation from malnutrition, disease and death.”
According to a recent study conducted by UNICEF, the World Food Program and the World Health Organization, “the current fighting exacerbates the causes of malnutrition in children, and particularly affects access to food and drinking water, which increases the risk of disease.”
The situation is getting worse due to “mass population displacement, as many people are fleeing conflict areas,” according to UN agencies, which confirm that “Sudan faces an increasing risk of famine resulting from the conflict, which may have catastrophic consequences, including loss of life, especially “Among young children.”
The agencies noted that “the year-long conflict has affected the delivery of humanitarian aid, leaving many women and children without access to food, the supply of which is hampered by increasing violence and bureaucratic procedures.”
Data showed that malnutrition among children reaches catastrophic levels, especially in Central Darfur (15.6% among children under five years old).
“We need immediate and safe access to provide the humanitarian assistance they desperately need,” said WFP President Cindy McCain.
McCain continued: “The lives of millions are at risk and the international community must act now, otherwise we risk losing an entire generation of children.”
The organizations stressed in the statement that “the window to avoid the worst is closing quickly.”
For more than a year, Sudan has witnessed a war between the army and the Rapid Support Forces, which has caused the deaths of tens of thousands since it broke out in April 2023. In El Geneina, the capital of West Darfur state alone, between 10,000 and 15,000 people were killed, according to the United Nations.
Paris hosts an international conference to discuss the crisis in Sudan