Rédaction Africa Links 24 with umajulius
Published on 2024-03-17 10:17:38
In a press release dated March 15, 2024, Jill Lawler, the emergency chief in Sudan for the UN children’s agency UNICEF, expressed concerns about the challenges in delivering aid to those in need in Sudan. Lawler mentioned that there were enough aid stocks in Port Sudan, but the difficulty lay in getting the aid to the people who required it the most.
Lawler led the first UN mission to reach Khartoum since the eruption of war in April 2023. She reported that the delegation witnessed the staggering scale of needs for children across the country. During their visit to various hospitals, the team observed overcrowding, lack of resources, and growing demands for medical care. Some hospitals were operating in darkness due to power outages, and staff members had gone months without receiving their salaries. Additionally, cases of women and girls who had been sexually assaulted in the early stages of the conflict were now giving birth to babies.
Lawler also highlighted the prevalence of young people carrying arms, indicating the escalating violence and instability in the region. Hunger was identified as a significant concern, with many people struggling to afford food despite its availability. The number of acutely malnourished children was on the rise, with UNICEF projecting that nearly 3.7 million children would require lifesaving treatment, including 730,000 in urgent need.
Furthermore, Lawler emphasized that Sudan was currently facing the world’s largest displacement crisis, with millions of children and families in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. She appealed to all parties involved in the conflict to allow unimpeded and safe access for humanitarian aid to reach those in need. Lawler stressed the moral obligation of protecting children from harm, including prohibiting their recruitment into armed groups and preventing sexual violence.
The dire situation in Sudan was highlighted by Alessandra Vellucci, the Director of the UN Information Service in Geneva, who mentioned that Sudan’s 2024 Humanitarian Response Plan of 2.7 billion was only five percent funded. Vellucci reiterated the Secretary-General’s call for a ceasefire during Ramadan to alleviate the suffering of the vulnerable population in Sudan.
In conclusion, Lawler underscored the urgency of the situation in Sudan, warning of a potential famine and catastrophic loss of lives if immediate action was not taken. She called for a ceasefire, a lasting political solution, and peace to ensure the well-being of the 24 million children in Sudan who deserved a chance at a better future. The international community was urged to step up their support and take swift measures to prevent further humanitarian crisis in Sudan.
Read the original article on Sudan Tribune
