Sudan’s Kordofan: Months Without Aid for Displaced Families, UN Reports

Millions in Sudan’s Kordofan Region Face Acute Humanitarian Crisis Amidst Aid Shortages

Khartoum, Sudan – March 25, 2026 – A stark report released today by UN Women paints a grim picture of the humanitarian situation in Sudan’s three Kordofan states, revealing that the vast majority of displaced families have received no essential aid over the past three months. The Greater Kordofan region, a critical area of displacement, is currently home to over one million individuals who have been uprooted from their homes, with women and girls constituting nearly half of this vulnerable population. This number has seen a significant surge, increasing by 15% since the escalation of conflict in October of last year.

The UN Women report highlights the devastating lack of access to humanitarian assistance, with alarming statistics indicating that 91% of households in North Kordofan, 87% in West Kordofan, and a still substantial 72% in South Kordofan received no aid during the recent reporting period. For those few fortunate enough to receive any form of assistance, the support was consistently described as falling far short of meeting their most basic needs, exacerbating their precarious living conditions.

These critical findings are the result of a comprehensive qualitative survey conducted by UN Women. The research involved extensive consultations with 43 women-led organizations and in-depth discussions with female community leaders who are on the frontlines, providing crucial humanitarian support throughout the Kordofan region. Their on-the-ground insights offer a vital, albeit distressing, perspective on the unfolding crisis.

Widespread Food Insecurity and Psychological Distress

The report issues a dire warning about the escalating levels of food insecurity across the region, describing the situation as potentially catastrophic. In South Kordofan, the survey revealed that more than half of the displaced families endured an entire day and night without any food in the month preceding the assessment. This level of hunger poses immediate threats to survival and long-term health consequences.

Beyond the immediate physical deprivations, the crisis is inflicting severe psychological trauma, particularly on girls who have been abruptly removed from their educational environments. Humanitarian actors have observed a disturbing and direct correlation between the immense pressures faced by these young girls and a concerning rise in instances of early and forced marriages. The disruption of education and the inherent instability of their circumstances leave them exceptionally vulnerable to such exploitative practices.

Escalating Protection Risks: Sexual Violence and Lack of Response Services

Sexual violence remains the most severe protection risk confronting women and girls in the Kordofan region. The Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa (SIHA) has meticulously documented 111 cases of sexual violence in North Kordofan alone between 2023 and 2025. However, experts widely believe that these documented figures represent only a fraction of the true extent of the problem. Deep-seated social stigma surrounding sexual assault and the widespread breakdown of reporting mechanisms significantly hinder the accurate capture of all incidents.

Further compounding these protection concerns, a survey conducted by Save the Children and cited within the UN Women report, reveals the pervasive nature of violence experienced by young girls. Approximately 80% of girls in South Kordofan and 70% in North Kordofan reported experiencing some form of violence. The response services available for survivors of sexual assault are alarmingly scarce and often non-existent. In one particularly stark example, a local organization, despite its dedicated efforts, was only able to provide support to a mere two out of twelve documented cases of rape, underscoring a critical gap in essential care and justice for survivors.

The multifaceted crisis in Kordofan, characterized by severe aid shortages, widespread food insecurity, profound psychological distress, and escalating protection risks, demands urgent and sustained international attention and intervention. The resilience of the women and girls on the ground is remarkable, but their capacity to cope is being pushed to its absolute limits without adequate support.