Toronto, ON, October 27, 2026 — A year after the fall of El Fasher triggered mass displacement across North Darfur, Sudan families forced to flee the city continue to face consequences of a conflict that has shattered homes, disrupted education, destroyed livelihoods and upended their futures.

The fall of El Fasher in October 2025 followed a brutal 18-month siege that left civilians trapped without adequate access to food, healthcare and humanitarian assistance. Earlier this year, the UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for Sudan said that atrocities committed during the takeover of El Fasher bore the "hallmarks of genocide", documenting ethnically targeted killings, widespread sexual violence and other grave violations.

Today, more than half a million displaced people are living in and around Tawila, and Dar Es Salam where severe shortages of food, clean water, shelter, education and protection services continue to put lives at risk. Displacement has not stopped. More than 3,400 newly displaced people arrived in Tawila in September 2026 alone, placing even greater pressure on communities and already overstretched services.

Recent testimonies shared with Plan International staff have also highlighted serious protection concerns for adolescent girls, including gender-based violence, child labour and child marriage as families struggle to survive prolonged displacement.

One year on, the consequences continue to reverberate through the lives of children and young people who were forced to flee their homes. For 15-year-old Amira now living in Tawila, displacement has meant the loss of life as she knew it. “I miss El Fasher. I miss the freedom we used to have there. Before the war, we were living a very beautiful life. There were gatherings with friends, school and many wonderful things.”

“We used to go to school together, play, and laugh together. But now we are here in the camp. We don't have schools or anywhere to go. We don't even know where our old friends are anymore. We are just surrounded by new people," 18-year-old Aida told us.

Like Amira and Aida, many children displaced from El Fasher have spent the past year without access to consistent education and basic needs.

For older adolescents and young people whose education was interrupted, the consequences continue to grow. “I was studying at the Faculty of Education before the war came and stopped everything. Now, I haven't continued university nor done anything. I am just sitting at home,” Amira told Plan International.

The education crisis remains one of the conflict's most enduring legacies. More than 8 million school-age children across Sudan are currently out of school. In the broader Darfur region, 81% of schools remain closed and 70% of children are not attending classes. Children who are out of school face heightened risks of child marriage, exploitation, abuse and recruitment by armed groups.

Adolescent girls have been especially affected, with some forced into early marriage and motherhood, abandoning their education and future aspirations. Reports of pregnancies resulting from sexual violence underscore the severe protection risks girls face, including psychological trauma, stigma, social isolation, while access to services and support remains limited.

"The headlines may have moved on from El Fasher, but children and families are still living with the consequences every day. What happened in El Fasher was not simply another displacement crisis but repeated attacks on civilians that have shattered lives, communities and futures.

“Children have lost family members and friends, their homes, their education and their sense of safety. One year later, they remain displaced, uncertain about their future, and cut off from opportunities that should be every child's right.

“The international community cannot allow this crisis to fade from view. Children in Sudan need protection, education, psychosocial support and the chance to rebuild their lives and realize their ambitions," said Mohamed Kamal, Country Director for Plan International Sudan.

Sudan continues to face relentless violence. Recent reports of attacks that killed hundreds of people are a stark reminder that the risks facing civilians have not diminished. Across Darfur and other parts of the country, families continue to face displacement, insecurity and grave protection risks, while ongoing violence continues to put civilians at risk.

Humanitarian organizations also continue to face significant challenges in reaching affected communities, while funding shortfalls further limit the scale of assistance available.

"Survival alone is not enough. Children need opportunities to learn, recover and plan for their future. We urgently need greater international action to protect civilians, secure humanitarian access and invest in the services that will help children and young people rebuild their lives. If we fail to act, an entire generation risks paying the price of this conflict for years to come," said Kamal.

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Children never start wars, but they suffer the most. To support children affected by war in Sudan and other global crises, visit plancanada.ca/donate/children-in-crisis.

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Note to editors:

• Video interviews can be found here
• Plan International is responding to humanitarian needs in North Darfur with child protection, education and multipurpose cash assistance, with support from ECHO, the Global Partnership for Education, Education Cannot Wait, the German Federal Foreign Office and the Dutch Relief Alliance.
• Plan International has reached more than 182,000 people in North Darfur, including in Tawila, Zamzam and El Fasher, with food assistance, dignity kits, water, sanitation and hygiene supplies, and education materials.
• Plan International expanded its operational reach to Kutum, Melit and El Fasher in September 2026. Community consultations identified child protection concerns, including child labour and child marriage.

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 with and for children for almost 90 years and is now active in more than 80 countries.

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

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