3.6 million children acutely malnourished Throughout 2024, the population of Sudan suffered from severe malnutrition and famine conditions as a result of the Sudanese civil war beginning in 2023, primarily in Darfur, Kordofan, and neighboring refugee-taking nations such as Chad.
[5] Human rights groups say famine conditions were caused in part by deliberate attempts by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to siege and loot cities with civilians trapped in them and by both sides blocking off supply routes making it difficult to allow food and humanitarian aid to flow through.
According to UNICEF's website, for a famine to be declared, citizens and children must have already begun to "die from hunger and related conditions including malnutrition and infection".
[16][17] Mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) reviews conducted by MSF and the State Ministry of Health from late March to early April 2024 showed that about 33.7% of civilians in West Darfur suffered from global acute malnutrition, as well as 29.4% of children tested in the Zamzam IDP camp and 20% in the general Al-Fashir area.
Satellite imaging analysis on the Zamzam camp indicated a ~26% faster rate of increase in counted graves between 18 December 2023 and 3 May 2024 relative to a similar period in 2022-2023.
[6] On 24 December, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) declared a state of famine over the Abu Shouk and El Salam IDP camps in North Darfur and parts of the Nuba Mountains.
[26] The Kalma refugee camp reported that 28 children died of malnutrition coupled with disease in two weeks in May and that at least one child passed away every day from these conditions.
Reuters found that 14 Darfur graveyards were expanding quicker than in the second half of 2023, indicating the increased impact malnutrition and disease had on the refugee population.
Proposed aid included food distribution, building and supplying field hospitals, creating emergency shelters, and protecting women vulnerable to the crisis.
[30] On 23 December 2024, the Sudanese government suspended its participation in the IPC, accusing the organisation of “issuing unreliable reports that undermine Sudan’s sovereignty and dignity”.