Toronto, ON, July 14, 2025 – In response to the UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report on the situation of famine in Sudan, Plan International Sudan’s Country Director, Mohamed Kamal, has shared the following statement:

“We are already seeing signs of mass starvation in camps where mothers arrive unable to feed their children and today’s IPC forecast is a grave warning that the situation will only get worse. Our fears are becoming a reality.

This is the worst hunger crisis in the world right now – the conflict is entering its third year, and the IPC has warned the situation is expected to deteriorate dramatically between July and September, with children most at risk. 24.6 million people in Sudan face high levels of acute food insecurity with 8.1 million facing emergency levels.

Famine was detected in five areas in El Fasher and the Western Nuba Mountains and these areas are particularly difficult to reach to provide humanitarian aid as the security situation is so severe here. With the impending rainy season, travel will be further hindered which will also drive-up food insecurity levels in the months ahead.

Children are starving to death from dehydration and malnutrition in Sudan every day. Hundreds of thousands are malnourished. A ten-year-old girl recently told us that for months her only meal has been lentil soup every day and that she dreams of fruit.

For girls and young women, the impact is especially severe — girls often eat last and least and are at greater risk of early marriage as families struggle to feed their children.

The inaccessibility of safe water has led to a widespread outbreak of cholera in many parts of the country with over 32,000 suspected cases recorded this year. Cholera can be deadly for malnourished and dehydrated children.

Last month we saw an attack on a joint UN humanitarian convoy in North Darfur in which aid workers were killed and life-saving food and nutrition supplies destroyed rather than reach starving families. It is getting increasingly hard to operate in the most at-need regions.

As the conflict continues, farming is disrupted, and Sudan faces serious economic instability and high inflation which limits peoples access to food. This has been compounded by overseas aid cuts as community kitchens who relied on this money can no longer operate.

This is the world's largest humanitarian emergency and Plan International continues to work across the country to provide humanitarian assistance, but the international community must urgently support a peaceful resolution to this conflict, which has been devastating the people of Sudan for over two years.”

Children, especially girls, are the most at risk in humanitarian emergencies and the most overlooked. Be a lifeline for children and donate to our Children in Crisis Response Fund.

The full IPC report is available here: https://www.ipcinfo.org/ipcinfo-website/alerts-archive/issue-132/en/

About Plan International Canada

Plan International Canada is a member of a global organization dedicated to advancing children’s rights and equality for girls. Plan International has been building powerful partnerships for children for over 85 years and is now active in more than 80 countries.

We stand with children, especially girls, wherever they are oppressed, exploited, left behind or not equally valued. We’re determined optimists and will continue to persevere until we are all equal.

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