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	Sudan’s warring parties must commit to a cease-fire, ensure access to humanitarian assistance by OHCHR, WFP, IRC, NRC, Save the Children, agencies   Apr 2025   Statement by Jan Egeland, Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) Secretary General on the two-year mark of the Sudan crisis:   “This week, we mark two years of war in Sudan which have caused one of the most harrowing crises of our generation, with the forced displacement of nearly 15 million people. Armed men have for more than 700 days and nights attacked defenceless civilians with impunity. Civilians have not been protected, and peace efforts have failed.   “We are witnessing a confluence of catastrophic factors—the widespread violence that has caused the deepest humanitarian collapse in Sudan’s history is exacerbated by the most severe US funding cuts ever, on top of aid cuts by several European donors. Programmes that once provided vital support have been forced to shut down, leaving millions without the basic means to survive.   Around 25 million people are facing devastating hunger, and yet we have been forced to stop our support to farmers, whose produce is essential to help us avert famine wherever it hasn’t struck yet.   We have been forced to close down aid access centres for displaced and vulnerable people where they could seek our services. And we have had to scale down on education for thousands of children who desperately need it. This is the darkest hour for Sudan.   “Neighbouring countries hosting more than three million refugees and returnees, including Chad and South Sudan, now bear the weight of overflowing refugee populations while facing crises of their own. This is not merely a policy failure; it is a moral failure. We must not allow self-interest to overshadow our fundamental responsibility to save lives.   “I call on the global community to reverse these misguided funding shifts and recommit to protecting humanity. Our actions in this critical moment will determine whether we choose compassion or conflict over the future of our shared humanity.”   http://www.nrc.no/news/2025/april/sudans-darkest-hour http://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/sudan-two-years-war-starvation-global-failure-world-must-act-now http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/04/sudan-faces-worsening-humanitarian-catastrophe-famine-and-conflict-escalate http://www.unocha.org/publications/report/sudan/port-sudan-drone-attacks-call-protect-civilian-infrastructure-statement-united-nations-resident-and-humanitarian-coordinator-sudan-clementine-nkweta-salami http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/05/sudan-un-expert-calls-end-attacks-critical-civilian-infrastructure-amidst http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/civilians-trapped-children-risk-amid-escalating-violence-darfur http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/05/un-experts-demand-international-action-human-rights-violations-escalate http://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/afr01/9355/2025/en/ http://news.un.org/en/story/2025/04/1162771 http://news.un.org/en/focus/sudan-conflict http://news.un.org/en/tags/sudan http://www.unocha.org/latest/news-and-stories?responses=30   http://www.msf.org/people-fleeing-zamzam-camp-arrive-overwhelmed-humanitarian-response-tawila http://www.msf.org/conflict-sudan http://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/sudan-displacement-zamzam-camp-north-darfur-state-flash-update-no-3-2-may-2025 http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/civilians-trapped-children-risk-amid-escalating-violence-darfur http://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/massive-scale-needed-more-ever-rainy-season-msf-warns-european-parliament-sudan-crisis http://www.unocha.org/publications/report/sudan/forced-displacement-north-darfur-overwhelms-aid-operations-and-increases-civilian-vulnerability http://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/sudan-displacement-zamzam-camp-north-darfur-state-flash-update-no-01-15-april-2025 http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/least-23-children-and-9-aid-workers-reportedly-killed-al-fasher-abu-shouk-and-zamzam http://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/attacks-zamzam-and-abu-shouk-camps-and-al-fasher-must-end-now-statement-united-nations-resident-and-humanitarian-coordinator-sudan-clementine-nkweta-salami   http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/04/sudan-turk-gravely-concerned-rising-civilian-deaths-and-widespread-sexual http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/04/sudan-un-fact-finding-mission-deplores-darfur-killings-conflict-enters-third http://news.un.org/en/story/2025/04/1162116 http://news.un.org/en/interview/2025/04/1162131 http://www.wfp.org/news/wfp-calls-urgent-access-preposition-food-sudan-rainy-season-risks-cutting-roads-starving http://www.ipcinfo.org/ipc-country-analysis/details-map/en/c/1159433/ http://dataviz.unhcr.org/product-gallery/2025/04/sudan-crisis-deepens-but-attention-wanes-after-two-years-of-war http://www.unhcr.org/emergencies/sudan-emergency http://www.iom.int/sudan-conflict-two-years http://www.icrc.org/en/news-release/sudan-new-report-sheds-light-two-years-devastation-sudan http://www.msf.org/two-years-war-sudan-leave-millions-more-need-ever http://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/sudan-crisis-two-years-unraveling-worlds-largest-humanitarian-disaster-sahel-red-sea-0   17 Mar. 2025   Sudan: In North Darfur, conditions at Zamzam camp worsen amid siege   OCHA warns that the ongoing siege on Zamzam camp, outside the city of El Fasher, Sudan, is deepening the suffering of hundreds of thousands of displaced civilians who are struggling to survive after months of famine.   The crisis at the camp has worsened during Ramadan, with food shortages growing even more severe. Prices of basic goods have skyrocketed, making essential items unaffordable for most families. Partners on the ground report signs of growing hunger. Zamzam is a site in which famine conditions were identified last July and reconfirmed in December.   Armed attacks continue along the route between Zamzam and El Fasher, with multiple casualties and injuries reported. Despite severe access challenges, humanitarian teams are providing food, water and urgent medical care, but needs are far outpacing available resources. The situation has become even more critical due to funding cuts and the withdrawal of most aid organizations assisting in the area due to insecurity. This comes after WFP and Medecins Sans Frontieres were forced to suspend operations in Zamzam last month.   OCHA is also concerned that conditions are also deteriorating in parts of Khartoum State. Local volunteer aid workers report severe malnutrition and critical shortages of medicines in the district of Sharg An Nil. They say malnutrition is widespread among children and pregnant women. Lack of food is a major problem due to the closure of most community kitchens. Two weeks ago, front-line aid workers recorded more than 800 cases of severe child malnutrition, with numbers continuing to rise. Meanwhile, cases of anemia, hepatitis, night blindness and malaria are increasing due to the critical shortage of medicines in the few remaining functional health facilities.   There are also very serious concerns over reports of grave human rights violations in Khartoum as fighting rages and lines of control shift rapidly.   OCHA stresses that the scale of suffering in Sudan is staggering, and without swift intervention, the consequences will be devastating for millions. We call once again for an immediate cessation of hostilities in Sudan and unhindered humanitarian access to deliver life-saving aid.   http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/825000-children-trapped-conflict-rages-sudans-al-fasher-and-zamzam-internally http://www.msf.org/msf-briefing-sudan-un-security-council http://www.ohchr.org/en/statements-and-speeches/2025/04/hundreds-killed-rsf-attacks-sudans-north-darfur http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2025/apr/18/survivors-attack-sudan-zamzam-camp-rapid-support-forces-paramilitaries http://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/families-fleeing-attacks-sudans-zamzam-camp-arrive-injured-traumatised-nothing-eat-save-children   http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/04/sudan-faces-worsening-humanitarian-catastrophe-famine-and-conflict-escalate http://www.hrw.org/news/2025/04/15/world-leaders-need-help-end-atrocities-sudan http://www.refugeesinternational.org/advocacy-letters/joint-statement-genocide-returns-to-darfur/ http://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2025/04/sudan-rapid-support-forces-horrific-and-widespread-use-of-sexual-violence-leaves-lives-in-tatters/ http://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/19/world/africa/sudan-usaid-famine.html http://www.globalr2p.org/countries/sudan/   27 Feb. 2025   WFP, MSF forced to pause food distributions, medical care in Sudan's Zamzam camp as fighting intensifies   Intense fighting in Zamzam camp in Sudan’s North Darfur region has forced the UN World Food Programme (WFP) to pause the distribution of life-saving food and nutrition assistance in the famine-hit camp for displaced people. Over the past two weeks escalating violence left WFP’s partners with no choice but to evacuate staff for safety.   “Without immediate assistance, tens of thousands of desperate families in Zamzam could starve in the coming weeks,” said Laurent Bukera, Regional Director for Eastern Africa and acting Country Director for Sudan. “We must resume the delivery of life-saving aid in and around Zamzam safely, quickly and at scale. For that the fighting must stop, and humanitarian organizations must be granted security guarantees.”   In February, WFP and its humanitarian partners only managed to provide 60,000 out of 500,00 people with food vouchers, when heavy shelling forced the pause of aid operations earlier this month. The food vouchers allow families to purchase essential food supplies directly from local markets which WFP helps to keep stocked through its local network.   The recent violence left Zamzam’s Central Market destroyed by shelling, pushing residents of the camp – estimated to be around 500,000 people – further away from accessing essential food and supplies.   Edem Wosornu, the U.N. humanitarian operations director, told the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday that satellite imagery showed heavy weapons were used in and around the camp in recent weeks.   “Terrified civilians, including humanitarian workers, were unable to leave the area when the fighting was most intense,” she said, adding that many people were killed including aid workers.   Earlier this week, the Doctors Without Borders medical charity said it paused its operations, including its field hospital, in the camp due to intensified attacks.   WFP and other partners have been working to deliver food and nutrition assistance to displaced people in and around North Darfur’s Zamzam camp. These people will not receive support until WFP is able to safely resume activities and get humanitarian assistance to the area.   “Millions of people are facing famine or at risk across Sudan. We are trying every possible way to get vital aid into the hands of people whose lives hang in the balance,” Bukera said.   In 2024, two out of every three people in famine or risk of famine areas received WFP assistance. However, access remains highly sporadic, and two million people in 27 locations across Sudan are currently experiencing, or on the brink of, famine. Regular deliveries to starving communities are the only way to push back the famine in Sudan.   Aid groups have made pleas for humanitarian access for months in Zamzam and elsewhere, with very limited success. The U.N.’s top humanitarian official in Sudan, Clementine Nkweta-Salami, has accused the RSF fighters and allies of preventing life-saving aid from reaching desperate people in Darfur. The RSF and allied militias control much of the region. They have been accused of ethnically motivated killing and rape, the International Criminal Court is investigating alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity.   http://www.wfp.org/news/wfp-forced-pause-food-distributions-sudans-zamzam-camp-fighting-intensifies http://www.unocha.org/news/sudan-crisis-requires-unprecedented-action-ocha-tells-security-council http://www.msf.org/sudan-msf-forced-halt-our-activities-violence-engulfs-zamzam-camp-north-darfur   17 Feb. 2025   UN urges global action to protect and support civilians devastated by Sudan’s war.   Nearly two years of conflict have fueled a catastrophic protection crisis and displaced a staggering 12 million people in Sudan and across borders.   Fighting continues to kill and injure civilians and destroy hospitals, markets and other essential infrastructure. Nearly two-thirds of the population need emergency aid, and the country is facing famine conditions. Refugees in dire need arrive in neighbouring countries where local resources are already stretched thin.   In response, the United Nations and partners today launch the 2025 humanitarian and refugee response plans for Sudan, appealing for a combined US$6 billion to assist nearly 26 million people inside the country and in the region.   “Sudan is a humanitarian emergency of shocking proportions,” said Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher. “Famine is taking hold. An epidemic of sexual violence rages.   Children are being killed and injured. The suffering is appalling. But our plan is a lifeline to millions. We need to stop the fighting, the funding to deliver for the Sudanese people, and better access by land, sea and air to those who need help.”   “Today, one-third of Sudan’s entire population is displaced. The consequences of this horrific and senseless conflict spread far beyond Sudan’s borders,” said Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees.   “Neighbouring countries have shown great solidarity by welcoming refugees, even when more are arriving every day. But their resources are stretched – essentials such as water, shelter and health services are scarce – and Sudan needs urgent support.   The international community must step up and help, not just to ensure that emergency aid and life-saving protection can continue without disruption, but also to end the violence and restore peace to Sudan.”   Famine conditions have been reported in at least five locations in Sudan including displacement camps in Darfur and in the western Nuba Mountains. Catastrophic hunger is expected to worsen by May when the lean season begins. With continued fighting and basic services having collapsed across most of the country, the crisis is set to get worse.   The Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan for Sudan aims to reach nearly 21 million vulnerable people with life-saving aid and protection.   As the conflict rages on, thousands continue to flee every day. The majority arrive in an extremely vulnerable state, with high levels of malnutrition and requiring emergency assistance. To date, nearly 3.5 million people have sought safety in neighbouring countries further stretching already scarce services and resources.   http://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/un-urges-global-action-protect-and-support-civilians-devastated-sudans-war-enar http://www.unocha.org/news/un-urges-global-action-protect-and-support-civilians-devastated-sudans-war http://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/humanitarian-crisis-sudan-statement-humanitarian-coordination-forum-hcf http://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/sudan-food-crisis-priority-actions-urgent-call-assistance http://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/humanitarian-action-children-2025-sudan http://www.unhcr.org/news/press-releases/un-urges-global-action-protect-and-support-civilians-devastated-sudan-s-war   http://www.globalr2p.org/publications/urgent-alert-on-the-risk-of-genocide-in-north-darfur-sudan/ http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/02/sudan-entrenched-impunity-fuelling-gross-human-rights-violations-and-abuses http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/children-young-one-reported-among-survivors-rape-during-sudans-violent-conflict http://www.unocha.org/publications/report/sudan/remove-restrictions-allow-aid-reach-people-need-sudan-statement-united-nations-resident-and-humanitarian-coordinator-sudan-clementine-nkweta-salami-enar http://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/attack-hospital-al-fasher-shocking-violation-and-affront-humanity-statement-united-nations-resident-and-humanitarian-coordinator-sudan-clementine-nkweta-salami http://news.un.org/en/story/2025/01/1159501 http://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/statement-ingo-forum-sudan-attacks-critical-civilian-infrastructure http://www.msf.org/sudan-malnutrition-crisis-msf-renews-call-immediate-action-prevent-death-and-starvation   18 Sep. 2024   Briefing to the UN Security Council on the humanitarian situation in Sudan by Joyce Msuya, Acting Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and UN Emergency Relief Coordinator:   Thank you for this opportunity to brief you on the humanitarian situation in Sudan. This brutal war has now lasted for 17 months, and there is no end in sight for this catastrophe.   Ten months ago, we warned the Council of the catastrophic consequences of an attack on El Fasher: a city of almost one million people, swelled with hundreds of thousands more seeking shelter after fleeing violence elsewhere.   Since April 2023, we have briefed you on the worrisome developments in El Fasher in no less than six Council meetings. And in June 2024, the Security Council called for “an immediate halt to the fighting and for de-escalation in and around El Fasher” in resolution 2736.   Regrettably, these calls have not been heeded and the humanitarian situation continues steadily to deteriorate. Since the end of last week, large-scale fighting in and around El Fasher has escalated. Shelling and aerial bombardment have been constant, and heavy.   Civilians especially women and children have been hit. Civilian sites and infrastructure – including hospitals and internally displaced persons’ camps – have been hit. The lives of hundreds of thousands of people, including more than 700,000 IDPs in and around El Fasher are at immediate threat. And our concern is mounting as we receive reports of intense shelling of central and western parts of El Fasher and deployment of additional forces.   The threats to life posed by the fighting in El Fasher are manifold. Parties to the conflict are making no efforts to protect health facilities or the civilians these facilities host. Hospitals and health facilities are being hit multiple times, rendering them non-operational. Of the three main hospitals in El Fasher, only one hospital is functioning, although only partially following an attack that caused extensive damage in August.   Severe hunger is a spiraling threat, with close to 1.7 million people in North Darfur facing acute food insecurity. In August, the Famine Review Committee confirmed that there is famine in Zamzam camp, a site hosting around half a million people, roughly 15 kilometers south of El Fasher. There are 13 other localities identified at risk of famine in North Darfur, including two other displacement sites [in North Darfur].   You will recall that in February 2024, Medecins Sans Frontieres reported that a child was dying in the Zamzam camp every two hours. Latest screening by MSF and the Ministry of Health between 1 and 5 September indicates that the situation is only getting worse. About 34 per cent of the children are malnourished, including 10 per cent who are severely malnourished. The situation is being compounded by almost impassable obstacles to the delivery of humanitarian relief.   Since May, roads into Zamzam and El Fasher have been rendered inaccessible by fighting around the city, and more recently by damage caused by heavy rains and floods. We have been repeatedly unsuccessful in our attempts to access the area.   The presence of humanitarian workers and operations in El Fasher is extremely limited, save for those local humanitarians who have stayed behind to look after their families. An inter-agency assessment in Zamzam camp on 27 August, led by partners revealed that assistance to people who have been newly displaced into the camp is very limited. There have been no international staff in El Fasher since April 2024 and non-governmental programmes have been curtailed. But we have far from given up.   We are hoping that as flood water subsides in the coming weeks, we will be able to start moving supplies to El Fasher and other areas at risk of famine.   The essential factors for effectively addressing this grave situation will be a de-escalation in the fighting, as well as the willingness of the parties to facilitate safe access.   Be in no doubt: without safe and predictable access and a steady supply of food and humanitarian supplies, we will see a dramatic spike in mortality – including children – in Zamzam and in other areas around El Fasher.   The same goes for the situation across Sudan. Khartoum, Sennar, Aj Jazirah - all continue to be devastated by relentless violence. More than eight million people have now been driven from their homes, and more than two million have fled over the border.   The atrocious humanitarian situation calls for a rapid de-escalation in the conflict. We are therefore horrified by signs that the fighting will intensify as the rainy season draws to a close in the coming months. And we remain deeply troubled by the state of humanitarian access across the country.   A large-scale and unhindered humanitarian operation is required to save lives – and it is a matter of life and death. For this, it is vital that additional cross-border access is granted. It also requires immediate, safe crossline access from Port Sudan to Aj Jazirah, Sennar, Khartoum, Darfur and Kordofan states, through Adabba, Shendi and Sennar.   Too many people have already lost their lives in this senseless conflict. Many more will do so unless this Council and the international community at large take decisive action.   I urge you to demand that the parties comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law and Security Council resolutions – we urge you to ensure they do so. The parties must refrain from targeting civilians, civilian assets and essential facilities such as hospitals.   They must allow the unimpeded delivery of humanitarian relief via all possible crossline and cross-border routes. And they must facilitate safe passage for those fleeing the violence.   The world should not abide in El Fasher the atrocities we witnessed in West Darfur. I call on Member States to put pressure on the parties to agree to a humanitarian pause – to save lives, give civilians respite and allow us to deliver assistance.   I call on donors to provide the much-needed resources to address this unprecedented crisis. All countries with influence on the parties in Sudan must act to bring an end to this conflict, and demonstrate our solidarity with the people of Sudan. Millions of lives depend on us – it is time to act.   http://www.unocha.org/news/sudan-crisis-deepens-acting-un-relief-chief-tells-security-council-it-time-act http://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/humanitarian-coordinator-sudan-calls-end-hostilities-protection-civilians-and-unimpeded-access-enar http://reliefweb.int/country/sdn http://www.unicef.org/stories/staggering-crisis-sudan-leaves-families-reeling http://www.mercycorps.org/press-room/releases/sudan-report-hunger-reaches-historic-proportions http://www.nrc.no/resources/reports/hunger-in-sudan/   1 Aug. 2024   Famine in Sudan: IPC Famine Review Committee confirms Famine conditions in North Darfur   The Famine Review Committee (FRC) of the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) has concluded that famine conditions are prevalent in parts of North Darfur, including the Zamzam camp south of El Fasher. The escalating violence in Sudan, which has been persisting for over 15 months now, has severely impeded humanitarian access and pushed parts of North Darfur into Famine, notably Zamzam IDP camp.   Areas are classified in IPC Phase 5 (Famine) when at least one in five (or 20 percent) people or households have an extreme lack of food and face starvation and destitution, resulting in extremely critical levels of acute malnutrition and death.   The Zamzam Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp is located approximately 12 kilometres south of El Fasher town and represents one of the largest IDP camps in Sudan, with an estimated population of at least 500,000.   The scale of devastation brought by the escalating violence in El Fasher town is profound and harrowing. Persistent, intense, and widespread clashes have forced many residents to seek refuge in IDP camps, where they face a stark reality: basic services are scant or absent, compounding the hardship of displacement. Around 320,000 people are believed to have been displaced since mid-April in El Fasher. Around 150,000 to 200,000 of them are believed to have moved to Zamzam camp in search of security, basic services, and food since mid-May. The camp population has expanded to over half a million in a few weeks.   Restrictions on humanitarian access, including intentional impediments imposed by the active parties to the conflict, have severely restricted the capability of aid organisations to scale up their response efforts effectively. These obstructions have critically hindered the delivery of necessary aid and exacerbated the food crisis, driving some households into Famine conditions. As with any Famine, there is a multi-sectoral collapse, and basic human needs for health services, water, food , nutrition, shelter, and protection are not being met.   The impacts of widespread conflict are driving the risk of Famine across many other areas of Sudan, including areas of Greater Darfur, parts of South Kordofan and Khartoum.   Famine confirmed in Sudan’s North Darfur, confirming UN agencies worst fears   “We urgently need a massive expansion of humanitarian access so we can halt the famine that has taken hold in North Darfur and stop it sweeping across Sudan. The warring parties must lift all restrictions and open new supply routes across borders, and across conflict lines, so relief agencies can get to cut-off communities with desperately needed food and other humanitarian aid,” said WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain. “I also call on the international community to act now to secure a ceasefire in this brutal conflict and end Sudan’s slide into famine. It is the only way we will reverse a humanitarian catastrophe that is destabilizing this entire region of Africa.”   “Today’s news confirms some of our worst fears that famine is occurring in parts of Sudan and is inflicting unimaginable suffering on children and families who are already reeling from the impact of a horrific war,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. “This famine is fully man-made. We again call on all the parties to provide the humanitarian system with unimpeded and safe access to children and families in need. We must be able to use all routes, across lines of conflict and borders. Sudan’s children cannot wait. They need protection, basic services and most of all, a ceasefire and peace.”   UNICEF and WFP continue to call on all parties to guarantee safe unhindered and sustained humanitarian access, to allow the humanitarian response to be further expanded and to allow the agencies to deliver at speed. The agencies also urge the international community to intensify their financial support for humanitarian efforts and use every diplomatic tool at their disposal to bring about an immediate ceasefire WFP and UNICEF have mobilised a large-scale humanitarian response with local and international partners, inside Sudan and in neighbouring countries where more than 2 million Sudanese have fled to safety.   http://www.ipcinfo.org/ipcinfo-website/countries-in-focus-archive/issue-107/en/ http://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/famine-sudan-ipc-famine-review-committee-confirms-famine-conditions-parts-north-darfur http://news.un.org/en/story/2024/08/1152871 http://news.un.org/en/story/2024/08/1152736 http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/famine-confirmed-sudans-north-darfur-confirming-un-agencies-worst-fears http://www.wfp.org/stories/famine-sudan-wfp-calls-unfettered-access-hunger-hotspots-save-lives http://fews.net/famine-ipc-phase-5-confirmed-sudans-zamzam-idp-camp-al-fasher http://fews.net/east-africa/sudan/alert/august-2024 http://www.fao.org/newsroom/detail/famine-conditions-in-parts-of-sudan--fao-urges-at-scale-life-saving-assistance-to-boost-local-food-production/en http://www.rescue.org/press-release/one-sudans-largest-idp-camps-facing-famine-conditions-irc-calls-immediate-ceasefire http://www.nrc.no/perspectives/2024/sudan-crisis-people-are-dying-of-hunger/ http://www.mercycorps.org/press-room/releases/grave-malnutrition-emergency-central-south-darfur http://www.actionagainsthunger.org/press-releases/un-says-famine-conditions-already-present-in-sudan/   June 2024 (UN News)   Horrific violence and the risk of famine continue to stalk the people of Sudan, UN humanitarians warned on Friday, as they echoed condemnation by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres of an attack on a village south of Khartoum two days ago that is now believed to have left more than 100 dead.   “The Secretary-General strongly condemns the attack reportedly carried out on 5 June by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the Wad Al-Noura village, Jazira state, which is said to have killed over 100 people,” his Spokesperson said in a statement overnight, which also underscored “the immense suffering of the Sudanese population as a result of the continued hostilities”.   “It is high time for all parties to silence their guns across Sudan and commit to a path towards sustainable peace for the Sudanese people.”   Briefing journalists in Geneva from Port Sudan, Mohamed Refaat, the UN migration agency (IOM)’s chief of mission in the country, highlighted “truly horrifying reports of violent attacks and casualties” in the village of Wad Al-Noura in Aj Jazirah state on Wednesday. His comments came as unconfirmed video images showed dozens of bodies laid out for burial in the village following a reported assault by heavily armed RSF fighters, some 112 kilometres (70 miles) from the capital.   At least 35 children were believed to be among the dead, drawing strong condemnation from UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Executive Director Catherine Russell.   “This is yet another grim reminder of how the children of Sudan are paying the price for the brutal violence,” she said in a statement late Thursday. “Over the past year, thousands of children have been killed and injured. Children have been recruited, abducted and subjected to rape and other forms of sexual violence. Over five million children have been forced from their homes.   The UN’s top human rights official also expressed his shock upon learning of the killings in Wad Al-Noura, maintaining that the RSF had “used weapons with wide-area effects, including artillery shells, during the attack”.   “These killings add to my existing, serious concerns about the adherence to the principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution under international humanitarian law by those involved in the fighting,” said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk.   “Those responsible for unlawful killings must be held accountable. How many more Sudanese civilians must die before the parties to the conflict stop the fighting?”   At another flashpoint of the conflict, in North Darfur’s capital El Fasher in Sudan’s west, some 800,000 civilians are still in danger, amid intensified fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the rival RSF.   The location remains “inaccessible” to the UN either cross-line or cross-border, Mr. Refaat said. He called for all parties to facilitate unimpeded aid access to the area “through all available routes” and stressed that the prices of water and fuel there have “skyrocketed”, making essentials unaffordable.   Internal displacement in Sudan since the start of the conflict on 15 April last year has almost reached the 10 million mark, IOM’s Mr. Refaat noted, with food insecurity an increasing factor in people’s decision to flee. Some 18 million people in the country are acutely hungry while 3.6 million children are acutely malnourished.   In addition to the internally displaced, over two million people have fled across Sudan’s borders into neighbouring countries, mainly Chad, South Sudan and Egypt, “often arriving in extremely vulnerable conditions and highly traumatized”, Mr. Refaat stressed.   Echoing his comments, Alpha Seydi Ba, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR)’s regional spokesperson for West and Central Africa, spoke of the devastating situation in Chad, where over 600,000 Sudanese have arrived since the start of the crisis. “You've seen people coming on a daily basis by dozens in a very, very bad shape, and most of them are women, children who have experienced an unimaginable, unimaginable trauma,” he said.   Chad already hosted more than 400,000 Sudanese refugees before this crisis, Mr. Ba explained, before expressing the UN agency’s appreciation that the authorities “have kept their borders open”.   But responding to refugees’ basic needs such as shelter, food, access to education for children and psychological support has become increasingly challenging due to funding shortfalls.   UNHCR said that the response plan for five neighbouring countries hosting those who have fled Sudan, for a total of $1.4 billion, is only nine per cent funded. The humanitarian response inside Sudan remains only 16 per cent funded.   Meanwhile, the UN health agency WHO sounded the alarm over the dire healthcare situation in the country, warning that it was “collapsing”.   WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier told journalists in Geneva that some 65 per cent of the population now lack access to care. “Healthcare in Sudan typically relied heavily on Khartoum, where the health care system was decimated,” he explained.   “Only about 25 per cent of the medical supplies needed are available in the country. In hard-to-reach areas, only 20 to 30 per cent of health facilities remain functional, and even so, at a minimal level.”   http://news.un.org/en/story/2024/06/1150781 http://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/sudan-internal-displacement-set-top-10-million-famine-looms-iom   June 2024   No time to lose as famine stalks millions in Sudan amid intense fighting and access denials-Statement by Principals of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee   Time is running out for millions of people in Sudan who are at imminent risk of famine, displaced from their lands, living under bombardments, and cut off from humanitarian assistance.   With the conflict now in its second year, 18 million people are acutely hungry, including 3.6 million children who are acutely malnourished, and famine is quickly closing in on millions of people in Darfur, Kordofan, Aj Jazirah and Khartoum.   Sudan is home to the largest number of internally displaced people in the world at nearly 10 million. A further 2 million people have escaped to neighbouring countries.   Horrific attacks against civilians – including sexual violence – as well as hospitals and schools are multiplying.   In Al Fasher, more than 800,000 civilians are bracing for an imminent large-scale attack, which would unleash catastrophic humanitarian consequences both in the city and across Darfur.   Despite the tremendous needs, aid workers continue to face systematic obstructions and deliberate denials of access by parties to the conflict. Movements across conflict lines to parts of Khartoum, Darfur, Aj Jazirah and Kordofan have been all but cut off since mid-December.   In March and April of this year, nearly 860,000 people were denied humanitarian aid in Kordofan, Darfur and Khartoum states. Deliberate hindrances to humanitarian assistance that leave the civilian population without the essentials to survive violate international humanitarian law.   Extreme hunger is unfolding, and the outlook for food production in 2024 is bleak. We have a rapidly shrinking window to get seeds to farmers before the main planting season ends and the rainy season begins.   If we act in time, people – especially those in inaccessible areas – will be able to produce food locally and avert food shortages in the next six months. Without immediate action, people will go hungry and be forced to move in search of food, shelter and protection.   Let us be clear: If we are prevented from providing aid rapidly and at scale, more people will die. Without an immediate and major step change, we will face a nightmare scenario: A famine will take hold in large parts of the country.   More people will flee to neighbouring countries in search of sustenance and safety. More children will succumb to disease and malnutrition. Women and girls, already bearing the brunt of the conflict, will face even greater suffering and dangers.   To prevent these worst-case scenarios, we, the Inter-Agency Standing Committee Principals, urgently request the parties to the conflict to do the following:   Take immediate measures to protect civilians, including by refraining from directing attacks against them, allowing them to leave for safer areas, and ending sexual and gender-based violence. Facilitate unimpeded humanitarian access through all possible crossline and cross-border routes to allow civilians to receive humanitarian aid.   Immediately cease all acts denying, obstructing and interfering with, or politicizing, humanitarian action. Simplify and expedite administrative and bureaucratic procedures related to the delivery of humanitarian aid.   De-escalate the situation in Al Fasher and adopt a nationwide ceasefire. Stop human rights violations, including grave violations against children, and hold perpetrators accountable for their crimes.   We are also concerned by the limited support from donors. Nearly five months into the year – and six weeks after the International Humanitarian Conference for Sudan and its Neighbours in Paris on 15 April – we've received just 16 per cent of the $2.7 billion we need.   Donors must urgently disburse pledges made in Paris and fast-track additional funding for the humanitarian appeal. With a famine on the horizon, we must deliver much more life-saving aid now. The clock is ticking.   http://interagencystandingcommittee.org/inter-agency-standing-committee/statement-principals-inter-agency-standing-committee-no-time-lose-famine-stalks-millions-sudan-amid http://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/sudans-children-trapped-critical-malnutrition-crisis-warn-un-agencies http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/sudans-children-trapped-critical-malnutrition-crisis-warn-un-agencies   http://www.wfp.org/news/small-window-remains-avert-disaster-sudans-war-torn-regions-warns-wfp-deputy-executive http://news.un.org/en/story/2024/05/1149786 http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-briefing-notes/2024/05/sudan-un-human-rights-chief-horrified-escalating-violence-el-fasher http://www.unocha.org/news/sudans-humanitarian-coordinator-calls-immediate-ceasefire-al-fasher-safeguard-civilians http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/attack-el-fasher-would-endanger-hundreds-thousands-children-warns-unicef http://news.un.org/en/story/2024/05/1149281 http://www.msf.org/sudan-msf-warns-catastrophic-malnutrition-crisis-zamzam-camp-amidst-escalating-violence-north   http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2024/04/sudan-conflict-enters-its-second-year-un-fact-finding-mission-says-warring http://www.nrc.no/news/2024/april/sudan-summit-pledges-of-funding-and-diplomatic-pressure-must-materialise-quickly/ http://www.icrc.org/en/document/speech-icrc-president-at-humanitarian-conference-sudan-and-neigborhing-countries http://actionaid.org/news/2024/21-billion-pledges-sudan-crisis-step-right-direction-immediate-ceasefire-still-urgent http://www.oxfam.org/en/press-releases/reaction-paris-pledging-conference-sudan-and-its-neighbors http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/entire-generation-children-sudan-faces-catastrophe-war-enters-its-second-year http://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/conflict-and-hunger-sudan-ngo-call-action http://www.rescue.org/press-release/its-too-late-humanitarian-organisations-urge-participants-paris-conference-sudan-and http://www.ifrc.org/press-release/international-red-cross-and-red-crescent-movement-urges-support-conflict-victims-we   http://www.nrc.no/news/2024/april/a-catastrophic-year-for-sudan/ http://www.msf.org/sudan-needs-are-growing-day-response-deeply-inadequate http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/latest/sudan-witnessing-life-and-death-emergency-massive-scale http://www.savethechildren.net/news/sudans-year-war-one-two-children-line-fire http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2024/03/sudan-conflict-24-million-children-exposed-year-brutality-and-rights http://www.care-international.org/resources/because-they-are-women-how-sudan-conflict-has-created-war-women-and-girls http://www.solidarites.org/en/live-from-the-field/sudan-definition-of-an-impending-famine/ http://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/sudan-humanitarian-update-25-march-2024-enar http://response.reliefweb.int/sudan   * UN Security Council session: Protection of civilians in armed conflict - Sudan Food Security Crisis (20/3/24): http://webtv.un.org/en/asset/k17/k17g7e6gqe http://www.wfp.org/news/remarks-delivered-carl-skau-wfp-deputy-executive-director-and-chief-operating-officer-security http://www.fao.org/newsroom/detail/sudan-fao-issues-stark-warning-over-deeply-concerning-scale-of-hunger/en http://www.unocha.org/news/ocha-warns-security-council-sudan-will-soon-be-worlds-worst-hunger-crisis http://www.nrc.no/news/2024/march/nrc-statement-following-un-security-council-session-on-conflict-induced-hunger-in-sudan/   19 Feb. 2024   In the deafening silence of global indifference, the war in Sudan recently entered its 10-month mark. (Humanitarian NGOs)   Since April 2023, close to 8 million people have fled their homes, of whom more than 1.6 million have sought refuge in Chad, South Sudan, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the Central African Republic – countries already grappling with immense difficulties.   Close to 25 million people need humanitarian assistance, including around 5 million people on the brink of famine and nearly 7 million children who are severely undernourished. Mass graves conceal evidence of widespread, systematic, and targeted mass atrocities that could be repeated at any moment as the conflict further expands.   Yet despite all of this, Sudan remains seemingly invisible to the global community.   The UN Security Council, other key multilateral institutions like the African Union, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), and states with influence over the warring parties have failed to stop the violence.   And while the UN Security Council does little beyond condemn attacks on civilians and call for access to humanitarian assistance, regional efforts to resolve the crisis have been grindingly slow and too tepid.   As a result, commitments from the Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces to protect civilians and facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance remain unfulfilled. Those with influence over the warring parties have echoed hollow calls for ceasefires and looked away as cumbersome bureaucratic requirements hinder our aid efforts.   Their lives turned upside down, Sudanese civilians have shown extraordinary strength. They have forged local mutual aid networks, channelling tireless efforts into collecting food, cash, and medicine to aid those in dire need. They have demonstrated that assisting Sudan's most impacted regions is difficult but far from impossible. Yet despite these efforts, the humanitarian situation is still worsening.   Sudan now has the grim honour of being the world’s largest child displacement crisis, with more than 3 million children – from a population of about 23 million children – displaced by violence since mid-April last year.   Today, fighting has engulfed more than half of the country. The capital Khartoum is now a ghost city, haunted by the smell of decaying bodies left in the streets. The normally quiet neighbourhoods have become battlefields, where homes, hospitals, schools, and markets have been bombed, looted, and occupied. In southern Sudan, the towns of Kordofan are strangled as fighting has cut supply lines and roads.   In December, Al-Jazirah state, once the country’s breadbasket, witnessed intense fighting leading to a new wave of displacement, as more than half of a million people fled their homes in search of safety. The state had recently become a hub for humanitarian operations, including our own, and fighting has forced us to relocate our staff and pause our operations in the state.   Further west, in Darfur, ethnicity has determined life or death. The generation born during the 2003-2005 genocide has followed their parents' desperate exodus. More than 600,000 people have now fled into neighbouring Chad; thousands never made it, having been executed in their homes or on the way.   At the end of February, the UN Security Council will close its political mission to Sudan, at a time when its responsibility to the country’s population is greater than ever.   To allow humanitarian organisations to reach the Sudanese people, we need the UN Security Council to demand unfettered humanitarian access across Sudan. The Council should act to pass a Resolution calling for all parties to the conflict to uphold their obligations under International Humanitarian Law and International Human Rights Law, including the duty to protect civilians and the critical infrastructure they rely upon. This includes taking all feasible precautions to prevent grave violations against children and any forms of sexual and gender-based violence. The UN Security Council cannot continue to ignore its responsibility to protect civilians.   To those who have been left wounded, homeless, starving, bereft and robbed of their future, the UN Security Council, the African Union, IGAD, and regional partners must stand together and show that they will no longer stand idly by while rampant and egregious violations of international law are committed. It is time for disparate and at times competing diplomatic initiatives to become more coordinated and coherent.   Parties to the conflict must be held accountable for their commitments, and all actors must call out any continued targeting of civilians and arbitrary denials of humanitarian access. Perpetrators of all violations cannot be allowed to operate with impunity. The people of Sudan have been left to suffer in silence. More than 10 months on, it is past time that the bravery of the Sudanese people is matched by the concrete actions of the international community.   * David Miliband, President and CEO of the International Rescue Committee; Inger Ashing, CEO of Save the Children International; Jan Egeland, Secretary-general of the Norwegian Refugee Council; Charlotte Slente, Secretary General of the Danish Refugee Council; Michelle Nunn, President and CEO – CARE USA; Stephen Omollo, CEO of Plan International   http://www.savethechildren.net/news/sudan-nearly-230000-children-and-new-mothers-likely-die-hunger-without-critical-action-save http://www.wfp.org/news/sudans-war-risks-creating-worlds-largest-hunger-crisis-warns-wfp-chief http://www.thenewhumanitarian.org/opinion/2024/02/19/sudan-collapse-international-community-we-are-failing-it http://www.care-international.org/news/ten-months-turmoil-sudan-children-battling-malnutrition-conflict-rages http://www.wfp.org/stories/sudans-war-rages-fallout-spreads-nearby-countries http://www.ohchr.org/en/statements-and-speeches/2024/03/high-commissioner-outlines-insidious-disregard-human-life-sudan   http://www.wfp.org/news/sudan-crisis-sends-shockwaves-around-region-displacement-hunger-and-malnutrition-soar http://www.wfp.org/news/wfp-calls-urgent-safe-access-feed-millions-sudan-fighting-rages-across-country http://www.unicef.org/mena/press-releases/numbers-children-seek-life-saving-care-sudan-war-drives-worlds-worst-displacement-crisis http://www.emro.who.int/sdn/sudan-news/urgent-action-needed-to-reach-the-most-vulnerable-in-sudan-with-life-saving-health-services.html http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2024/02/sudan-25-million-people-dire-humanitarian-need-say-un-experts   Dec. 2023 (UNICEF)   Across Sudan, over 14 million children are in urgent need of lifesaving humanitarian support, the highest number ever recorded in the country. The war in Sudan has resulted in the largest child displacement crisis in the World. Close to 3.5 million children have been forced to flee their homes as a result of the fighting.   The impact of escalating violence - more than half of states in Sudan, 10 out of 18, are now experiencing active conflict - continues to threaten the lives and futures of families and children, leaving basic health and nutrition, education, water, sanitation and hygiene, and protection services cut off with frontline workers going without pay and many facilities closed, damaged, or destroyed.   UNICEF continues to call for an immediate ceasefire across Sudan, and reiterates its call for all parties to the conflict to respect international humanitarian and human rights law – including ensuring that children are protected – and that rapid, safe, unimpeded humanitarian access to children and families in affected areas is facilitated. Without such access, critical lifesaving humanitarian support will be out of reach for millions of vulnerable children.   http://reliefweb.int/country/sdn http://www.ungeneva.org/en/news-media/news/2024/01/89755/sudan-war-living-nightmare-children-unicef-representative http://www.wfp.org/news/wfp-warns-hunger-catastrophe-looms-conflict-hit-sudan-without-urgent-food-assistance http://www.ipcinfo.org/ipcinfo-website/alerts-archive/issue-92/en/ http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/least-5-million-children-brink-darfur-unchecked-conflict-worsens http://www.unicef.org/mena/press-releases/over-200-days-war-leaves-generation-children-sudan-brink http://www.savethechildren.net/news/sudan-about-7600-children-fleeing-homes-daily-world-s-largest-child-displacement-crisis   http://www.unhcr.org/news/briefing-notes/unimaginable-humanitarian-crisis-unfolding-sudan http://www.iom.int/news/iom-chief-international-community-must-not-turn-its-back-worlds-largest-displacement-sudan http://www.msf.org/sudan-urgent-response-needed-amid-high-death-rates-and-malnutrition-crisis-north-darfur http://www.msf.org/conflict-sudan http://www.mercycorps.org/press-room/releases/sudan-breadbasket-to-battlefield http://www.humanitarianoutcomes.org/publications/score-report-sudan-2023 http://reports.unocha.org/en/country/sudan/ Visit the related web page
	A call for transformative leadership in a fractured world by C20, C7, Forus International, agencies   South Africa’s G20 Presidency begun in December, with only 12% of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG targets) on track and significant backsliding on more than 30%.   As we write this today, there is an urgent need for a paradigm shift and practical solutions for a progressive, people-centred, and development-driven agenda in a fractured global landscape that needs collective healing.   This sense of urgency was pinned down at the recent G20 Summit in Brasil, where South Africa assumed the Presidency amidst calls from global civil society at the Civil20 (C20) Summit to address today’s most pressing challenges: climate change, gender inequality, social inequalities, economic injustice and attacks on civic space.   This year, the Brasilian Association of NGOs (Abong), chaired the C20, amplifying the demands of social movements and civil society for global justice, highlighting the importance of gender in public policies, anti-racist economies, climate justice, the fight against hunger and the urgent need for a reform of international governance.   “Civil society is not merely a participant; it is a driving force for justice, equity, and sustainability. Without our voices at the table, solutions risk being incomplete, inequitable, and disconnected from the realities of the most vulnerable,” says Henrique Frota, Executive Director of Abong.   Yet, while the G20 leaders addressed major global crises, from climate change to economic inequities, the voices of those most affected by these challenges—grassroots movements, communities that have been historically marginalised, and civil society actors—still struggle to resonate within the halls of power.   In fact, gaps persist in ambition and action, exposing a troubling disconnect between commitments made in international forums and the lived realities of citizens from across the globe.   Civil Society as Equal Partners: Moving Beyond Symbolism   The G20 Rio de Janeiro Declaration, emphasizes inclusivity and acknowledges civil society’s role , but it omits the issue of shrinking civic space in many member countries.   The G20 should adopt concrete measures to protect civic freedoms and support CSOs in challenging environments. Futhermore, while the Declaration noted the inclusion of civil society groups in dialogues like the G20 Social Summit, it stopped short of guaranteeing institutionalised access for CSOs.   Aoi Horiuchi, Senior Advocacy Officer at the Japan NGO Center for International Cooperation (JANIC) shared that despite opportunities for C20 to meet, decision-makers and submit recommendations, “access is still limited”.   The meeting with President Lula happened just days before the Leaders’ Summit. He emphasizes, “civil society as an official stakeholder group, should have access to all preparatory meetings and have space for speaking up. To truly “leave no one behind”, we need to maintain the momentum and push for more progressive policies on taxing and economic justice.”   Meaningful engagement with civil society cannot be an afterthought. Governments must ensure that civil society has the autonomy, resources, and protected spaces necessary to contribute fully to global governance processes.   Expanding civic engagement is crucial, especially at the national level. Data shows that 87% of the global population lives in countries where civic freedoms are restricted.   As we approach the first G20 Summit on the African continent in 2025, “breaking silos, shifting power, and amplifying Global South movements must become central priorities for global governance reform,” says Anselmo Lee, Lead from the Asia Civil Society Partnership for Sustainable Development.   “We must move beyond a purely event-driven approach and establish clear, systematic mechanisms for reviewing decisions and ensuring their effective implementation,” adds Harsh Jaitli, Chief Executive Officer of the Voluntary Action Network India (VANI). Over the years, along with other national platforms, VANI has worked towards strengthening the voice of civil society in this space.   Inequality and Systemic Change: Missing the Mark   The Declaration rightly identified inequality as a root cause of global challenges but failed to propose bold measures to dismantle the structures that sustain the giant inequality pyramid.   The creation of the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty is a step forward. Specifically on access to food, the declaration identifies hunger as a pressing global issue, affecting over 733 million people in 2023, and emphasizes the G20’s commitment to eradicating hunger. The vague language and lack of binding commitments undermine these efforts. Specific timelines and accountability frameworks are missing.   We need clear action to address inequalities and extreme wealth concentration, fair financing and reforms of multilateral development banks (MDBs) and public development banks (PDBs) to provide financing that directly benefits marginalised communities and an increase in support to local actions, notably investing in community-driven solutions that prioritise equity and sustainability.   In the narratives and the actions, there is insufficient detail on the mobilization of resources for grassroots and community-led initiatives, a critical element of Forus’s advocacy for inclusive and sustainable financing.   Policy Coherence: Balancing the Scales and Building a Holistic Approach to Sustainability   While the G20 Declaration highlighted policy coherence as essential for achieving the SDGs, it leans heavily on private sector-driven solutions. Blended finance and private capital mobilization dominated the agenda, sidelining civil society and community-led initiatives and reinforcing the systemic inequities that perpetuate inequality.   A just and sustainable world cannot be achieved through fragmented efforts. Instead, a holistic approach that leverages the collective expertise and experiences of all stakeholders, public, private, and civil society. From a CSO perspective, a critical gap persists in aligning economic growth objectives with environmental, social, and human rights priorities. Without such alignment, conflicting objectives risk perpetuating systemic inequalities and ecological harm, undermining the promise of the SDGs.   Moreover, the recent trend of certain governments, such as Argentina’s proposed withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, highlights a dangerous backslide from climate commitments and a disregard for sustainable development goals.   Gender Equality: From Rhetoric to Reality   The G20 Declaration’s recognition of gender equality and commitments to combating gender-based violence are important steps forward. However, the absence of concrete action plans undermines their potential impact.   Women and girls continue to face systemic barriers, including unequal access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunities, as well as the pervasive threat of gender-based violence.   To achieve meaningful progress, policies must go beyond rhetoric and actively dismantle discriminatory norms while creating leadership opportunities for women across all sectors.   The C20 group, has emphasised the need to address exclusion in all its forms. Expanding spaces for groups that have historically been marginalised and ensuring their full, equal, and meaningful participation in governance processes is not only a matter of justice but also a prerequisite for the type of development that We want. This includes acknowledging the intersecting challenges faced by rural and Indigenous women and those experiencing multiple forms of discrimination.   “Beyond commitments, we need frameworks that address intersectional inequalities and create leadership opportunities for all women, including rural, Indigenous, and LGBTIQ+ communities,” says Alessandra Nilo, C20 Sherpa, Director of Gestos, Brasil.   Reforming Global Governance for a Just Future   The G20 Declaration acknowledges the urgent need to reform global governance systems to address the complex crises of our time—geopolitical tensions, economic inequities, and climate emergencies.   Commitments to the UN reform and enhancing transparency in global governance are promising. The emphasis on anti-corruption measures and progressive taxation aligns with civil society’s struggles.   A critical starting point is amplifying the voice of World Majority countries in global decision-making. The inclusion of the African Union as a full G20 member is a welcome development, signaling progress toward inclusivity. However, current power imbalances, where wealthier nations disproportionately influence global policy agendas, must be dismantled to ensure fairness and inclusivity.   As the G20, a premier global forum, assumes increasing responsibility for shaping the global agenda, it is imperative that it takes a strong stance on these issues and “shift powers”.   As the C20 Declaration reminds us, the solutions to today’s challenges lie in inclusive governance that empowers those most affected by global crises. We urge governments and G20 stakeholders to institutionalise civil society participation, prioritise rights-based solutions, and deliver on commitments to equity and sustainability.   By weaving together the principles of rights, equity, sustainability, and collaboration, we can begin to build a future where “no one is left behind” not just in theory but also in practice.   http://www.forus-international.org/en/news http://www.ipsnews.net/2024/12/south-africas-g20-presidency-call-transformative-leadership-fractured-world/ http://www.ipsnews.net/2024/12/year-saw-world-repressed-civil-society-hope/ http://www.hrw.org/news/2025/01/13/nations-should-boldly-redefine-development-approach http://c20brasil.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/C20-Policy-Pack-2024_Digital.pdf http://t20brasil.org/en/communique http://www.t20brasil.org/en/pbs?nucleo_id=1 http://tinyurl.com/4tfzhzfs http://tinyurl.com/bdexbdhz http://tinyurl.com/nztatjtn   June 2025   Civil 7 Reaction to the 2025 G7 Leaders’ Summit in Kananaskis, Alberta under Canadian leadership:   While the Civil 7 (Gloabl Civil Society) acknowledges some positive commitments made by G7 leaders, ultimately the Summit fell short of the ambition and unity needed to meet today’s global challenges.   The Summit unfolded against a backdrop of intensifying humanitarian need, a rapidly changing climate, democratic backsliding, and deepening inequality. The C7 had urged G7 leaders to embrace a justice-centered agenda grounded in international law, equity, human rights, and multilateral cooperation. What emerged instead was a patchwork of statements that failed to confront the structural crises facing people and planet.   While we welcome calls for a ceasefire in Gaza and protection of civilians in the Middle East, the absence of strong commitments to restore humanitarian access and uphold international humanitarian law is deeply troubling. Furthermore, in light of the recent military escalations involving Iran and Israel, we call on the G7 to assume a balanced and principled role in de-escalating tensions through diplomacy. The path to lasting peace lies in impartial mediation and a steadfast commitment to dialogue over confrontation. Support for peace must be universal, not selective.   The G7’s reaffirmed support for Ukraine and its opposition to transnational repression are important signals in defence of international law and civic space. However, silence on other urgent contexts, including Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti, Myanmar, Yemen, ignores the needs of millions facing displacement, violence, and hunger.   Development cooperation was notably absent. In stark contrast to the 2002 Kananaskis Summit, where G8 leaders centred Africa and development, this year’s gathering failed to respond to shrinking aid budgets and growing global need. This is not fiscal prudence. It is a strategic failure that undermines global stability and ignores the transformative potential of bold, people-centered partnerships.   The reference to debt relief lacked specificity and ambition. With many countries facing or nearing debt distress, the G7 must champion structural reform of the international financial architecture and support unconditional debt cancellation. The C7 reiterates its call for a permanent sovereign debt workout mechanism under the auspices of the United Nations.   G7 cooperation with the Global South must move beyond resource extraction and geopolitical competition. It must prioritize equitable value chains, decent work, gender equity, and meaningful economic autonomy to ensure trade and investments uphold, rather than undermine, development, climate, and human rights goals.   Moreover, the G7 Critical Mineral Action Plan should not undermine the needs and interests of the Indigenous Peoples and lands in source countries and should support development of value chains which allow communities in the source countries to benefit fairly from their resources and build their own green and sustainable energy economies.   There was a notable lack of dialogue and commitments on gender equality and the protection and promotion of women’s rights. At a time when the rights of women and LGBTQI+ people are being rolled back in many parts of the world, this is very disappointing. Given the clear links between progress on gender equality and progress on peace, security and sustainable economies, this is a missed opportunity.   On climate, the gap between rhetoric and action remains wide. While the G7 acknowledged wildfire and environmental management, it failed to present a credible roadmap to phase out fossil fuels, scale climate finance, or meet existing commitments. The C7 calls on G7 countries to end fossil fuel subsidies, contribute new and additional finance to the Loss and Damage Fund, and increase funding for adaptation, especially for the most vulnerable communities.   We welcome the G7’s recognition of Indigenous leadership, particularly in wildfire response and the Critical Minerals Action Plan. However, such inclusion must be part of broader commitments to upholding the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, including the principle of Free, Prior, and Informed Consent, alongside  environmental justice.   The C7 urges G7 leaders to translate political will into action on fossil fuel phaseout, tax justice, debt relief, trade equity, and humanitarian action.   Civil society is not on the sidelines.  We are at the heart of real, people-powered solutions. We stand ready to work with those who lead with courage and principle.   As the world moves onto other global summits, including the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development, we call on leaders to uphold the values of justice, equity, and multilateral solidarity. We look forward to further engagement with G7 governments to ensure that these values drive transformative action.   http://civil7.org/en/civil-7-reaction-to-the-2025-g7-leaders-summit http://www.bond.org.uk/news/2025/06/the-g7-leaders-summit-our-verdict/ http://civil7.org/c7-2025-communique-global-justice-together-web.pdf Visit the related web page
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