UN Warns Sudan War Threatens the Future of an Entire Generation of Children

UN Warns Sudan War Threatens the Future of an Entire Generation of Children
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The United Nations has warned that Sudan’s ongoing war is putting the future of millions of children at risk, with more than 8 million school-age children currently out of education due to the conflict that has continued for more than three years.

Speaking at a UN Security Council session on protecting education in Sudan, Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed said the war was depriving an “entire generation” of its future. She noted that nearly three-quarters of schools in Darfur have been damaged, destroyed or made unusable since fighting began in April 2023.

The UN reported that many families are keeping children away from schools due to security concerns, while more than half of Sudan’s teachers have gone unpaid despite continuing to work under difficult conditions.

The organization has documented dozens of attacks on schools and cases where educational facilities were used for military purposes, warning that the actual figures may be higher.

The conflict between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has displaced around 15 million people, while UNICEF estimates that nearly 33 million people, including millions of children, require urgent humanitarian assistance.

UN officials said humanitarian agencies have helped more than one million children return to some form of learning this year, but stressed that far greater efforts are needed to prevent long-term damage to Sudan’s education system and future development.