The International Ministerial Conference on Sudan, scheduled for 15 April in Berlin, is poised to become a pivotal moment for the beleaguered nation. As the conflict between the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) enters its third year, the humanitarian situation has reached critical levels. Amnesty International has called on high-income countries to leverage this meeting to secure increased funding and pressure warring parties to ensure unhindered humanitarian access.
The crisis in Sudan is multifaceted, with over 33 million people in dire need of assistance. The ongoing cuts to international foreign aid are exacerbating the situation, posing grave health risks such as malnutrition, cholera, trauma, and injury. Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for East and South Africa, emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating, “As aid has declined in Sudan, the needs have only increased. Behind these numbers are real lives, real people who have lost their homes, loved ones, and livelihoods, who are fighting to survive the war and the disease and hunger it brings.”.
The consequences of precarious funding are dire. In late 2025, Amnesty International conducted interviews with seven NGOs and many refugees who had fled the country. These organizations reported that insufficient funding had disrupted their operations, forcing some to shut down or reduce their workforce.
Basic medicines, such as painkillers and antibiotics, are in short supply, and the availability of ready — to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) for treating severe acute malnutrition is limited. The closure of community kitchens due to aid cuts has further intensified the malnutrition crisis.
Women and children are disproportionately impacted by the conflict. Health services for survivors of sexual violence have been significantly affected by aid cuts. One women’s rights defender recounted the dire situation, noting that grassroots groups had been receiving minimal funding and that the situation for survivors of sexual violence, particularly those with traumatic fistula, was “beyond painful.”.
The conflict has forced over 4. 5 million people to flee to neighboring countries. The United Nations has appealed for US$1.
6 billion to support refugees across the region, with children and adults with disabilities among the most at risk. The struggles of individuals like Yagoub, a 17-year-old who was shot in the leg by the RSF, and Makawi, a 15-year-old with cerebral palsy, highlight the challenges faced by those displaced by the conflict. Both are unable to afford necessary medical care and struggle with daily mobility in displacement camps.
For NGOs working in Sudan, the complexities of providing healthcare in a conflict zone are compounded by start — and-stop funding from donors. The picture painted by NGOs is one of scarcity and widespread violations of the rights to health and life. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that US funding for Sudan’s coordinated humanitarian plan halved between 2024 and 2025, with less than 40% of the plan financed by all donors in 2025.
Despite high — level political commitments from high-income states to allocate at least 0.7 per cent of their Gross National Income to overseas aid, the situation in Sudan demands increased humanitarian aid for NGOs to respond to health emergencies. Tigere Chagutah underscored the importance of these commitments, emphasizing that human rights, including the rights to food, health, housing, education, and water, must be upheld despite the escalating conflict.
Source: reliefweb
Original author: Amnesty International
