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	Urgent action needed to avert humanitarian catastrophe in Sudan by OCHA, IASC, UNICEF, UNHCR, agencies   Mar. 2024   Twelve months into the armed conflict in Sudan, 24 million children are at risk of a generational catastrophe, and their rights to life, survival, protection, education, health, and development have all been gravely violated, a UN committee said.   To mark a year of brutality against Sudanese children, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) issued the following media statement, urging Sudan to immediately put an end to these grave violations and stop recruiting children to the armed forces.   “Since the conflict began in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the Committee on the Rights of the Child has observed repeated attacks on civilians and civilian objects, widespread killings, including ethnically motivated, and the death of thousands of civilians, many of them are children.   There were worrying reports of rape of civilians, including children, denial of humanitarian access affecting children’s access to basic necessities, and other violations of international law, including violations of children’s economic and social rights.   These violations resulted in 24 million children in Sudan being at risk of generational catastrophe. Among these children, 14 million are in dire need of humanitarian support, 19 million are out of school, and 4 million are displaced, according to UNICEF, making Sudan now the largest child displacement crisis in the world.   Their conditions are appalling, with acute shortages of food and clean drinking water; UNICEF found that 3.7 million children are acutely malnourished, including 730,000 with severe acute malnutrition.   Exacerbating the situation, two-thirds of Sudanese lack access to health care services after 70-80% of hospitals ceased operation following a severe shortage of medical supplies, including lifesaving medicines.   UNICEF has warned that tens of thousands of children will likely die without improved access and additional support, including increased international funding.   There has been a sharp increase in the number of children killed or victimised by sexual violence as a weapon of war compared to a year ago. Children are at higher risk given the widespread armed recruitment of children, particularly in Darfur and other areas, including eastern Sudan.   Schools across the country have either been destroyed or at least 170 campuses turned into emergency shelters for internally displaced people, thus jeopardising children’s right to education for many years to come and exposing them to the risk of sexual exploitation and trafficking.   The Committee is deeply concerned by these clear violations of children’s rights to life, survival, education and development under international human rights law and international humanitarian law.   The Committee urges Sudan to immediately take all urgent and necessary measures to end these severe violations and fulfil its commitments under the Convention on the Rights of the Child.   Khartoum, Sudan, March 25, 2024   International Rescue Committee (IRC) warns unfettered humanitarian access and scale-up of funding needed to avert catastrophic hunger crisis in Sudan   The ongoing conflict in Sudan, coupled with disrupted supply chains, economic decline, and hindrances to humanitarian aid, has plunged approximately 37% of the population (18 million people) into severe levels of acute food insecurity. Every day, millions of mothers and fathers are having to make impossible choices to feed their families, often going days without any food. A hunger crisis of unimaginable proportions is not a future concern, but a present reality in certain parts of the country.   The latest assessment of people’s access to adequate food--published in December 2023--revealed that 18 million people are facing high levels of acute food insecurity, 10 million more than before the war started. This includes five million people at risk of facing catastrophic hunger, and more than 730,000 Sudanese children who are suffering from severe malnutrition.   This week, the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWSNET) warned of a risk of famine in parts of Sudan, namely in parts of West Darfur, Khartoum, and areas in Greater Darfur. In its own clinics, the IRC has witnessed a 175% increase in daily screening of malnourished children under five years old since the conflict started, partially owing to lack of adequate nutrition consumption due to the conflict.   Shashwat Saraf, East Africa Regional Emergency Director, IRC:   “The food security situation in Sudan is dire, and as the country prepares to enter the lean season, the worst is yet to come. Conflict has severely disrupted people’s ability to cultivate crops, disrupted markets, led to massive displacement, impacted people’s earnings, and has restricted people’s access to aid, all of which has left millions of people without access to enough food.   To avert further catastrophe, action is needed today: we cannot wait for people to starve to death before scaling-up our response. From our experience in conflict zones and crisis settings, we are certain people must already be starving to death.   An immediate cessation in hostilities, unfettered humanitarian access, and increased funding are urgently needed to provide healthcare and clean supplies of water, to reduce the risk of preventable diseases like diarrhoea, malaria, and measles spreading and killing even more people.   Families must be supported to produce food, access food and afford food. Delaying action until a famine is officially declared is morally unacceptable and will only lead to further suffering and loss of life.”   Most experts agree that the reality on the ground is likely to be much more severe than what the data tells us, since populations in greatest need (including in Darfur, Khartoum, and the Kordofans) are the hardest to reach. This not only makes it difficult to get accurate data, but also to deliver aid.   Experts warn that in the coming weeks and months, somewhere in the region of around 222,000 children could die from malnutrition. Acute malnutrition is a life-threatening condition that occurs when children are not taking in enough food to grow, develop or maintain a healthy immune system and illness results in sudden weight loss.   A child who is severely malnourished is twelve times more likely to die from common diseases like diarrhoea and cholera. Such loss of nutrition can result in dire health conditions, including severe weight loss, infertility, disability and – eventually – death. Children are particularly at risk and often die at double the rate of adults. Those who survive risk a lifelong struggle with poor health.   These children’s lives can be saved with a simple solution. Using a fortified peanut paste for treatment, more than 90% of affected children can recover within weeks. But without an immediate cessation of hostilities as called for by the Security Council in resolution 2724 and unfettered aid access, more children will starve.   The humanitarian crisis in Sudan is also woefully underfunded. The funding pledged by donors pales in comparison to the scale of the needs. Just 5% of the UN’s humanitarian appeal for Sudan is currently funded, leaving a $2.56 billion funding gap.   The IRC calls upon international policymakers and parties to the conflict to take immediate action to address the hunger crisis. The guns must be silenced, humanitarian access must be improved, and funding must be urgently increased. Every day of delay will lead to further suffering and loss of life.”   http://www.rescue.org/press-release/irc-warns-unfettered-humanitarian-access-and-scale-funding-needed-avert-catastrophic http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2024/03/sudan-conflict-24-million-children-exposed-year-brutality-and-rights 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://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/sudan-ipc-alert-conflict-surge-threatens-millions-slide-worst-levels-acute-food-insecurity-and-malnutrition-published-29-march-2024 http://www.ipcinfo.org/ipcinfo-website/alerts-archive/issue-99/en/   http://www.unhcr.org/news/briefing-notes/thousands-still-fleeing-sudan-daily-after-one-year-war 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.nrc.no/news/2024/march/nrc-statement-following-un-security-council-session-on-conflict-induced-hunger-in-sudan/   12 Dec. 2023   Ongoing conflict and violence in Sudan creates humanitarian crisis with over 17 million people experiencing acute food insecurity   The World Food Programme and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) sound the alarm about the escalating food security crisis in the Sudan, urging immediate and collective action to avert an impending humanitarian catastrophe.   According to the newly released Integrated Food Security Phase (IPC) projections, 17.7 million people across the Sudan, which accounts for 37 percent of the analysed population, are facing high levels of acute food insecurity, classified in IPC Phase 3 or above (Crisis or worse) between October 2023 and February 2024. The most acutely food insecure populations are located in states affected by high levels of organized violence, including Greater Darfur, Greater Kordofan and Khartoum.   The ongoing conflict and the escalating violence are deepening the humanitarian crisis and worsening the food security of people in several urban, semi-urban and rural areas. Further compounding this is the low agricultural production, high food prices, climate shocks and displacement.   Widespread violence has resulted in the displacement of 6.3 million people, including around 5.1 million who have been internally displaced and 1.2 million who sought refuge in neighbouring countries.   The displaced population is scattered across all 18 states of the Sudan and extends beyond the country's borders, particularly to Chad, South Sudan, and Egypt.   The conflict has caused the destruction of critical infrastructure, including healthcare facilities, schools, roads, power and water sources as well as telecommunications facilities.   Regular and safe humanitarian access to civilians in areas worst hit by violence has been inadequate. Close to 5 million people are in emergency levels of food insecurity (IPC4) with over three-quarters of these people cornered in areas where humanitarian access has been intermittent and, in some areas, impossible due to ongoing fighting.   “We urgently call on all parties to the conflict for a humanitarian pause and unfettered access to avert a hunger catastrophe in the upcoming lean season. Lives depend on it, there are far too many people trapped in areas with active fighting who we can only reach sporadically, if at all,” said Eddie Rowe, WFP Country Director and Representative in Sudan.   “The speed at which hunger has risen over the past year is alarming. More and more people are struggling to eat a basic meal a day, and unless things change there is a very real risk they won’t even be able to do that,” concluded Rowe.   http://www.wfp.org/news/wfp-warns-major-setback-aid-efforts-fighting-spreads-sudan http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/almost-3-million-children-sudans-al-jazirah-state-risk-violence-escalates http://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/sudan-humanitarian-response-crippled-wad-madani-aid-hub-and-home-700000-people-overtaken 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   2 Nov. 2023   UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Sudan, Clementine Nkweta-Salami on the protection of civilians in Darfur:   "I am deeply concerned by the military escalation in Darfur and its impact on civilians. “I am alarmed by reports that civilians are being caught in the ongoing fighting between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Darfur, in a context of heightened intercommunal tensions, recalling the events in El Geneina in Darfur last June”, Ms.Nkweta-Salami said.   Following the resumption of clashes between SAF and RSF since last Thursday in Nyala (South Darfur), Zalingei (Central Darfur), El Fasher (North Darfur), and El Geneina (West Darfur), civilians have been heavily impacted, with thousands of people displaced, many killed or wounded, and the destruction of civilian property.   “I reiterate my call on all parties to Sudan’s conflict to uphold their obligations under International Human Rights and Humanitarian Law to protect civilians in the course of hostilities. Darfurians have suffered enough” she emphasized. She further added that “civilians must be allowed to leave conflict-affected areas safely and unhindered.”   “I call on all parties to refrain from escalating and expanding the conflict. The toll this conflict is taking on civilians is unimaginable. Fighting needs to stop and parties to the conflict need to ensure the safe passage of humanitarian assistance to the millions of people in Sudan who desperately need it”.   Since fighting broke out in Sudan in April 2023, thousands have been killed, more than 5.7 million people have had to leave their homes and 25 million, more than half of the population needs humanitarian assistance.   http://unitams.unmissions.org/en/statement-deputy-special-representative-secretary-general-sudan-officer-charge-unitams-resident http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-briefing-notes/2023/11/sudan-killings-ardamata http://www.un.org/en/genocideprevention/documents/UN_Special_Adviser_statement_Sudan_14_Nov_2023.pdf http://www.hrw.org/news/2023/11/13/darfur-civilians-jeopardy http://www.hrw.org/news/2023/11/27/sudan-new-mass-ethnic-killings-pillage-darfur http://www.france24.com/en/tv-shows/reporters/20231201-stories-of-horror-investigating-a-massacre-in-sudan-s-darfur-region http://www.unhcr.org/news/briefing-notes/unimaginable-humanitarian-crisis-unfolding-sudan   12 Oct. 2023   Sudan´s brutal war continues to inflict immeasurable suffering: endangering lives, displacing millions from their homes, and causing deaths even in areas far from frontlines. (MSF)   Six months into the war in Sudan, people’s lives are still in danger from bombings, shelling and the shootings, both directly and indirectly. Sudanese health staff and volunteers are struggling to respond to people’s medical needs, and the country’s health system is on the edge of collapse, says Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF).   Our teams note a shameful absence of humanitarian organisations working in the country. In those areas where assistance is being provided, the response is insufficient for people’s immense needs. MSF is calling for an immediate increase in humanitarian efforts.   “Sudan’s crisis epitomises a catastrophic failure of humanity, marked by the warring parties’ failing to protect civilians or facilitate essential humanitarian access, and by the dire neglect and shortcomings of international organisations in delivering an adequate response,” says Dr Christos Christou, International President of MSF.   “Without an immediate, substantial escalation of the humanitarian response, what we are witnessing now will be the beginning of an even larger tragedy yet to unfold – meaning more people will continue to needlessly die.”   Across Sudan, the fragile health system is struggling; emergency rooms are congested, and many hospitals have closed completely. In the capital, Khartoum, MSF medical teams are witnessing one of the most intense urban conflicts currently taking place worldwide. Large numbers of injured people are arriving at the hospitals with life-threatening wounds, often leaving medical staff with no choice but to amputate.   “In both Khartoum and Darfur, many patients are critically injured to the extent that they need to have multiple rounds of surgery,” says Shazeer Majeed, an MSF surgeon. “On more than seven occasions in September alone, the hospitals where MSF operates received significant influxes of injured people following shelling, airstrikes, and explosions.”   Millions of displaced people are living in overwhelmed camps and makeshift sites like schools, after being displaced from their homes by the violence. People, including children, in these sites are dying of preventable diseases, such as malaria and measles, as there is a shameful lack of humanitarian response.   In Khartoum, as well as in many displacement camps, the water systems have been destroyed or are inadequate for people’s needs.   With no end to the war in sight, MSF is calling for a substantial increase in efforts to provide humanitarian aid; for the safeguarding of medical, humanitarian workers, and civilians; for the removal of administrative blockages on medical and humanitarian staff and supplies; and for people to be allowed unhindered access to aid.   “Sudan´s healthcare system is on the brink of collapse,” says Ossig. “Without urgent action, the most vulnerable people will continue to bear the brunt of the violence, resulting in more avoidable deaths.”   http://www.msf.org/six-months-war-and-neglect-sudan-catastrophic-failure-humanity http://www.msf.org/conflict-sudan http://www.icrc.org/en/document/sudan-six-months-conflict-vast-humanitarian-needs-remain-unmet http://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/sudan-six-months-conflict-key-facts-and-figures-19-october-2023 http://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/sudan-reeling-after-six-months-war-statement-martin-griffiths-under-secretary-general-humanitarian-affairs-and-emergency-relief-coordinator-enar http://webtv.un.org/en/asset/k1f/k1fl60camt http://www.iom.int/news/sudan-faces-worlds-largest-internal-displacement-crisis   19 Sep. 2023   As the Sudan crisis deepens, INGOs warn of the cost of inaction, and call for immediate funding, access, and protection for civilians and aid workers.   The Inter-Agency Working Group for the East and Central Africa region is deeply concerned about the escalating humanitarian crisis in Sudan and the region, and the slow pace of global response. We call on the international community to respond urgently and comprehensively by providing much needed flexible funding and by urging all parties to the conflict to protect civilians, aid workers, and health facilities, and to remove barriers to the provision of life-saving humanitarian aid. The Sudanese people are facing unimaginable suffering, and the cost of not taking decisive action is simply too high.   The situation in Sudan is deteriorating in front of our eyes, with airstrikes and fighting increasing in the capital, Khartoum, and in Kordofan, Blue Nile and Darfur, resulting in multiple civilian casualties; in Darfur this is compounded by horrific reports of escalating inter-ethnic violence. Thousands of cases of conflict-related sexual violence and other human rights violations have been reported from across the country.   The health system is on the verge of collapse, resulting in further increased mortality. All this, together with unprecedented food insecurity, malnutrition and displacement, has left half of the population (nearly 25 million people) in urgent need of assistance.   More than twenty million people, over 42% of the population, are now estimated to be facing crisis- or emergency-levels of food insecurity. With the 2023 planting season having been disrupted due to the conflict and the price of staple foods increasing by up to 200%, it is anticipated that from October the number of food-insecure will be the highest ever recorded for a post-harvest season in Sudan. No other country in the world currently faces this level of emergency food insecurity.   The conflict has driven enormous displacement: since the outbreak of the violence, over 1 million people have been displaced to neighbouring countries, adding to the pre-existing caseloads. Over 4 million people have been newly displaced within Sudan, adding to the 3 million individuals that were already displaced before the start of the current conflict.   In recent weeks, organisations working on the ground have witnessed a sharp surge in cases of Severe Acute Malnutrition, a major killer of children under the age of five. Children have also lost access to education and are at heightened risk of forced recruitment and other protection issues. Children are bearing the brunt of this crisis, with 3.4 million acutely malnourished children between six months and five years of age.   Millions of people – especially in Khartoum, Darfur and Kordofan – lack access to food, water, shelter, electricity, education and health care. Children need urgent assistance. Without increased support, 1.7 million babies risk missing out on life-saving vaccinations, and 700,000 children with severe acute malnutrition are at high risk of not surviving.   The cost of inaction in the face of ever-growing needs cannot be understated. Innocent lives are being lost daily because of hunger, lack of access to essential healthcare, and violence. Yet five months into the conflict, humanitarian organisations still face immense difficulties reaching populations with much needed supplies and services. Efforts to move essential food and medicine inside the country are being impeded by slow approvals and threatened by attacks and looting. Aid workers themselves remain the target of attacks, with 19 aid workers killed this year.   Despite all these challenges, NGOs have, since the start of the conflict, been working across all 18 states in Sudan to address the needs of around two million people, including by providing essential health and nutrition services, clean drinking water, and distributing food, as well as seeds for farmers.   Volunteer-led community neighbourhood groups (commonly known as Emergency Response Rooms) are also providing critical frontline assistance - including by ensuring hospitals and health centres remain operational and distributing essential food supplies. These community groups have been able to access areas international organisations are currently unable to get to. But more support is urgently needed.   Inaction on this humanitarian crisis not only means prolonged suffering for the Sudanese people but also has far-reaching consequences for regional stability and security. The one million people displaced into Chad, Egypt, South Sudan, Ethiopia, and the Central African Republic are putting additional pressure on these neighbouring countries, straining limited resources and triggering potential social and political tensions. Several of these countries face their own humanitarian crises, which were already severely under-funded.   We call on the international community, including governments and international organisations to urgently prioritise the crisis in Sudan, and fund a comprehensive response, allowing the recently announced scale-up to be properly implemented.   The revised Sudan Humanitarian Response Plan, which aims to provide life-saving assistance and protection services to 18.1 million people, remains grossly underfunded, with only US$685.9 million received out of the US$2.6 billion required (or 26.7%).   It is critical that we urgently release additional funding to humanitarian organisations working on the ground. That funding should be bold and flexible, to allow organisations to find innovative ways to reach populations in need, including by providing funds to frontline community-led groups and to cover the increased cost of operating in such a dangerous and volatile environment.   Funding from a diverse range of sources is needed in order to support the rehabilitation of health and education facilities, and their on-going functioning.   We also urge governments to actively engage in diplomatic efforts to not only bring an end to the conflict, but to also ensure that humanitarian aid can reach those who need it the most. This includes removing barriers to the movement of aid staff and supplies both within the country and across borders, and ensuring the safety and security of aid workers, and of health facilities.   We cannot afford to fail the people of Sudan as they face one shock after another. The time to act is now, and we must come together to ensure their protection, well-being, and dignity. Let us show our solidarity and commitment to humanity by standing alongside those most in need and working to build a brighter and more secure future for Sudan and the entire region.   * CARE International; Concern Worldwide; COOPI - Cooperazione Internazionale; Danish Refugee Council; GOAL; International Rescue Committee; Islamic Relief; Mercy Corps; Norwegian Refugee Council; Oxfam; Plan International; Save the Children; World Vision   http://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/sudan-crisis-deepens-ingos-warn-cost-inaction-and-call-immediate-funding-access-and-protection-civilians-and-aid-workers http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/tens-thousands-sudanese-children-brink-death-year-ends   15 August 2023   Statement by Principals of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee: End the Tragedy in Sudan   For four gruesome months, the people of Sudan have been engulfed in a war that is destroying their lives and their homeland, and violating their basic human rights.   People have witnessed their loved ones gunned down. Women and girls have been sexually assaulted. Families have seen their possessions looted and their homes burnt to the ground.   People are dying because they cannot access health care services and medicine. And now, because of the war, Sudan’s children are wasting away for lack of food and nutrition.   Each day the fighting continues, the Sudanese are being robbed of the peace they cherish, the lives they are entitled to, and the future they deserve.   Enough. After four months of terror, global leaders of humanitarian organizations working in Sudan call for an immediate cessation of hostilities. The people of Sudan need peace and access to humanitarian relief.   The international community must step up today with funding support, and engage at all levels, and act to put Sudan back on track and end the war.   In a statement, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk warned that the “disastrous, senseless war in Sudan, born out of a wanton drive for power, has resulted in thousands of deaths, the destruction of family homes, schools, hospitals and other essential services, massive displacement, as well as sexual violence, in acts which may amount to war crimes”.   William Spindler, spokesperson for the UN refugee agency UNHCR, said that over 4.3 million people have been forced to flee since conflict erupted on 15 April between the Sudanese Army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).   Latest UN data indicates that more than 900,000 refugees and asylum seekers have fled to neighbouring countries and 195,000 South Sudanese have been forced to leave Sudan. Mr. Spindler added that within Sudan, over 3.2 million people have been internally displaced, including more than 187,000 refugees already living in the country at the start of the crisis.   UN World Health Organization (WHO) spokesperson Dr Margaret Harris warned that some 67 per cent of hospitals in the affected areas were out of service, denying access to care for “tens of thousands of people”. Noting WHO had verified 53 attacks on healthcare.   Dr. Harris sounded the alarm about the difficulty of controlling ongoing outbreaks of measles, malaria and dengue. Conditions are even more dangerous for children, she said, with about one-third of under five-year-olds now chronically malnourished. “Measles and malnourishment equals a death sentence for children under five,” she said.   The situation is also particularly dangerous for women and adolescent girls, stressed Laila Baker, Regional Director for The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), with 2.6 million women and girls of reproductive age requiring humanitarian assistance.   At least 260,000 women are now pregnant and almost 100,000 are expected to give birth in the next three months. But without critical services, including hospitals and safe delivery, “their lives and those of their children and the babies that are going to be the future generation are severely at risk”, Ms. Baker said.   The threat of sexual violence is an additional danger for women and girls, warned the UN human rights office. Spokesperson Liz Throssell said OHCHR had received credible reports of numerous incidents of sexual violence including incidents of rape. Men in Rapid Support Forces (RSF) uniforms were implicated in at least 19 incidents as perpetrators, but “the actual number of cases is likely much higher,” she said.   Ms. Throssell reiterated that the UN human rights chief, Volker Turk, had repeatedly reminded senior officials in Sudan that there is “zero tolerance” for sexual violence. “Perpetrators must be held accountable and such violence must be clearly and unequivocally condemned,” she said.   Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warned that the war is “destroying people's lives and their homeland and violating their basic human rights”.   He called on all parties to the conflict to “end the fighting, protect civilians, and give humanitarian organizations unfettered access” to all areas of Sudan. The attacking of civilians, looting of humanitarian supplies, and targeting of aid workers and hospitals throughout the past four months “may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity”, he said.   http://interagencystandingcommittee.org/about-principals/statement-principals-inter-agency-standing-committee-sudan-after-4-months-war-humanitarian-leaders http://news.un.org/en/story/2023/08/1139752 http://www.concern.net/press-releases/sudan-close-famine-warns-concern http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2023/08/sudan-human-rights-situation http://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/sudan-emergency-regional-refugee-response-plan-may-december-2023-revised-august-2023 http://www.iom.int/news/internal-displacement-sudan-nearly-doubles-onset-conflict http://www.unhcr.org/emergencies/sudan-emergency http://dtm.iom.int/sudan   http://www.unfpa.org/sudan-conflict-tragedy-women-and-girls’-rights http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-briefing-notes/2023/11/sudan-alarming-reports-women-and-girls-abducted-and-forced-marry-held http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2023/08/un-experts-alarmed-reported-widespread-use-rape-and-sexual-violence-against http://www.unwomen.org/en/news-stories/press-release/2023/07/press-release-sudan-top-un-officials-sound-alarm-at-spoke-in-violence-against-women-and-girls http://www.passblue.com/2023/08/14/mass-killings-in-darfur-raise-the-demon-of-genocide-again/ http://odihpn.org/publication/call-for-action-to-the-international-community-support-for-civil-society-in-sudan-is-urgent-and-crucial/   Aug. 2023   UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Ted Chaiban’s remarks on the situation of children in Sudan:   “It is no exaggeration to say that the situation facing children in Sudan today is unprecedented. Before the war erupted on 15 April, Sudan was already grappling with a humanitarian crisis. Now, more than 110 days of brutal fighting have turned the crisis into a catastrophe, threatening the lives and futures of a generation of children and young people- who make up over 70 per cent of the population.   “The numbers are staggering. Almost 14 million children are in dire need of humanitarian support. 1 out of every 2 children in Sudan are now facing unimaginable challenges to their safety and well-being. Every single day.   “1.7 million children have been driven from their homes – parents are making the impossible choice to uproot their children and leave behind everything they have ever known - and are now on the move within Sudan or crossing its borders, vulnerable to hunger, disease, violence, and separation from their families. This number is in addition to the 1.9 million children who were displaced within Sudan prior to this latest crisis.   “Many hundreds of children have been killed in the conflict, and thousands injured.. I saw the consequences of the atrocities committed against children and women during the darkest days of the Darfur conflict, 18 years ago. I am deeply concerned that we are witnessing a repetition of these terrible days.   “The ramifications of this crisis also extend beyond Sudan's borders, directly impacting countries like Chad, South Sudan and the Central African Republic, and the regional and global implications are significant.   “The impact of this crisis is shown in the faces and stories of the children, parents and grandparents I met whilst in Sudan and Adre, a village on the Chad-Sudan border, which is now hosting hundreds of thousands of women and children who have fled West Darfur in search of safety.   “I spoke to a woman named Fatma in Adre. She had come across from Geneina into Chad with her three children and spoke of going through 11 checkpoints to get there, each requiring a bribe to get through with the constant fear of gender-based violence. Children coming dehydrated, malnourished, arriving in a weakened state, many on the verge of death.   “Each and every day, children are being killed, injured, abducted, and seeing the schools they depend on damaged, destroyed or looted. We have received reports of abductions, recruitment of children into armed groups, ethnically targeted violence, and gender-based violence against women and girls.   Three million children under five are malnourished with 700,000 at risk of severe acute malnutrition and mortality. 1.7 million children under the age of one are at risk of missing critical vaccinations, raising the risk of disease outbreaks. In White Nile State, we have a lethal combination of acute watery diarrhoea, measles and malnutrition. Unless this is contained the consequences could be severe.   While fighting continues, needs will only increase, with many vulnerable communities remaining out of reach of humanitarian support.   “We cannot accept the toll this war is taking on Sudan’s children, their families. We remember the outrage when the Darfur crisis was at its utmost horror. We cannot go back to that situation. So, our message to the parties to the conflict is clear. Stop the fighting and commit to a durable cessation of hostilities. All parties must abide by their obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law to protect civilians – including preventing and ending grave violations against children. All parties should ensure the humanitarian community can safely reach all children and families in need".   http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/unicef-deputy-executive-director-ted-chaibans-remarks-situation-children-sudan-daily http://www.unicef.org/topics/sudan http://www.unhcr.org/news/briefing-notes/health-conditions-worsen-displacement-sudan-conflict-exceeds-4-million http://www.savethechildren.net/news/khartoum-doctors-warn-disease-catastrophe-due-mounting-dead-bodies http://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/sudan-situation-report-9-august-2023-enar http://reliefweb.int/country/sdn http://www.ipcinfo.org/ipcinfo-website/alerts-archive/issue-84/en/ http://www.wfp.org/stories/chad-sudan-tragic-stories-and-soaring-needs http://www.msf.org/msf-calls-urgent-international-support-refugees-chad-major-crisis-looms http://www.wfp.org/countries/sudan   * Continued Military Hostilities, Sexual Violence, Attacks against Citizens pushing Sudan into ‘Catastrophic’ Humanitarian Crisis, speakers warn UN Security Council (9 Aug.):   Edem Wosornu, Director of Operations and Advocacy, Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, said that since the last briefing on 23 June, Sudan’s descent into a full-blown humanitarian catastrophe has only deepened. In these six weeks alone, more than 1.4 million additional people have fled their homes. When she visited the country two weeks ago, she heard stories of sexual violence, harassment and physical assaults, of husbands disappearing never to be seen again, and of education interrupted, careers ruined and livelihoods lost.   “Everyone had a story of parents, children, colleagues and friends who had perished in this devastating conflict, with fears of many more to come as the warring factions push on, regardless of the consequences,” she said, warning: “From the lack of coverage of Sudan in the global media, one could be mistaken in believing that the situation was improving. This could not be further from the truth.”   Nearly four months into this conflict, more than 4 million people have now fled the violence — 3.2 million displaced internally and close to 900,000 who have crossed the border into Chad, Egypt, South Sudan and other countries, she continued. About 80 per cent of hospitals across the country are not functioning, and more than 20 million people, or over 40 per cent of the population, are facing acute food insecurity.   The banking system has been heavily disrupted, as have public and civil institutions, including many Government functions. Electricity blackouts are extensive and schools are closed.   “It is the story of a country and its people being driven to the point of collapse,” she reported, underscoring that the situation is particularly alarming where the conflict is at its most intense — notably in Darfur, Khartoum and Kordofan.   Nationwide, since this conflict started, more than 2.9 million people have received some form of humanitarian assistance, including cash or in-kind food assistance, health services, or access to basic water services. But this, unfortunately, represents only a fraction of the 18 million people in need, she added.   Until a political resolution is reached, all parties must respect international humanitarian law and minimize human suffering, she emphasized.   http://press.un.org/en/2023/sc15381.doc.htm http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/latest/they-gave-us-two-options-leave-chad-or-be-killed http://www.msf.org/conflict-sudan http://www.hrw.org/news/2023/08/04/sudan-new-attacks-darfur http://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/statement-atrocities-darfur-sudan-04-august-2023 http://www.thenewhumanitarian.org/news-feature/2023/08/15/every-checkpoint-could-be-your-last-perilous-road-safety-darfuri-refugees http://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/sudan-protection-analysis-update-unabated-violations-against-civilians-increase-impact-protection-risks-population-july-2023   24 July 2023   Sudan: one hundred days of war. (Norwegian Refugee Council)   A hundred days of war in Sudan have exacted a devastating toll on civilian lives and infrastructure, but the worst is yet to come. The country is on the brink of collapse, grappling with a series of crises that together are unprecedented.   Sudan was already facing an overwhelming and vastly neglected humanitarian crisis before the war broke out. The first 100 days fighting have brought it to catastrophic levels. Despite various ceasefires the conflict has persisted, bringing clashes and killings across the country. Thousands of lives have been lost, and countless homes and displacement camps have been reduced to ashes. At least 3.1 million people have fled within the country or across its borders. On top of the violence, Sudan also face the threat of rainy season floods and a looming hunger crisis.   Humanitarian organisations have worked tirelessly to provide assistance and protection. From the earliest days of the war, local responders have stepped in, bringing lifesaving aid to those displaced and those trapped. But access to people in need has been severely impeded. Today, the response requires a complete reset and restructuring to make it more relevant, effective and coherent with the needs on the ground.   A blend of first-hand observations from the ground, survivors’ testimonies and a literature review, this report reflects on the first 100 days of the war in Sudan. It is an urgent call for change and unwavering dedication to rebuilding the country's shattered hope. The international community has an essential role to play, especially demanding the protection of civilians and principled humanitarian action to reach those in need with the most timely and appropriate interventions possible.   http://www.nrc.no/resources/reports/sudan-one-hundred-days-of-war/ http://www.concern.net/press-releases/urgent-action-needed-avert-humanitarian-catastrophe-sudan   15 July 2023   Misery deepens for Sudanese civilians, as conflict hits three-month mark, by Martin Griffiths - UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator   For three months now, the people of Sudan have endured unspeakable suffering amid violence that is tearing their country apart. As the conflict enters its fourth month, the battle lines are hardening, making it ever more difficult to reach the millions of people who need urgent humanitarian assistance.   Sudan is now one of the world’s most difficult places for humanitarian workers to operate. Hand-in-hand with local organizations, we are doing all we can to deliver life-saving supplies. But we cannot work under the barrel of a gun. We cannot replenish stores of food, water and medicine if brazen looting of these stocks continues. We cannot deliver if our staff are prevented from reaching people in need.   Ultimately, Sudan’s suffering will end only when the fighting ends. In the meantime, we need predictable commitments from the parties to the conflict that allow us to safely deliver humanitarian assistance to people in need, wherever they are. Both sides must abide by the Declaration of Commitments they signed in Jeddah to protect civilians and respect international humanitarian law.   Since the conflict began, more than 3 million people in Sudan – half of them children – have fled the violence, both inside and outside the country. Half of the children remaining in Sudan, numbering some 13.6 million, urgently need humanitarian assistance.   Each day the fighting continues, the misery deepens for Sudanese civilians. The recent discovery of a mass grave outside West Darfur’s capital, El Geneina, is only the latest evidence pointing to a resurgence in ethnic killings in the region. The international community cannot ignore this harsh echo of history in Darfur.   We must all redouble our efforts to ensure that the conflict in Sudan does not spiral into a brutal and interminable civil war with grave consequences for the region. The people of Sudan cannot afford to wait. http://reliefweb.int/country/sdn   27 June 2023   Sudan: Displacement soars amid shrinking humanitarian access   UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is alarmed over growing humanitarian needs among those affected by the crisis in Sudan, as displacement numbers continue to surge while delivery of assistance remains heavily constricted by insecurity, lack of access and funding shortfalls.   Millions of people have been displaced by the conflict since 15 April, with hundreds of thousands of people seeking safety in neighbouring countries – with Egypt receiving the highest number, followed by Chad, South Sudan, Ethiopia and the Central African Republic -– and at least two million people displaced inside the country.   In Sudan, ongoing fighting in the capital, Khartoum, and in the Darfur and Kordofan regions, has left many stranded and cut off from basic humanitarian assistance. UNHCR has received worrying reports of displaced civilians including refugees experiencing life-threatening obstacles while attempting to seek safety within the country and across borders. Due to the intensity of the conflict, vulnerable people on the move have been left with little choice than to flee in extremely dangerous and difficult conditions, risking physical abuse, theft and banditry, and in some cases, denied movement out of conflict areas and forced back into harm’s way.   We are particularly concerned about the worsening situation in West Darfur, where according to reports from colleagues on the ground, the conflict has reached alarming levels, making it virtually impossible to deliver life-saving aid to the affected populations. Increasing numbers of injured civilians are among the newly arrived refugees in Chad.   http://www.unhcr.org/emergencies/sudan-emergency http://www.unhcr.org/news/press-releases/unhcr-urges-end-sudan-conflict-100-days-amid-growing-displacement http://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/sudan-humanitarian-update-22-june-2023 http://www.unocha.org/story/situation-darfur-spiraling-humanitarian-calamity-sudan-conflict-hits-two-month-mark-un-relief http://unocha.exposure.co/i-was-selling-tea-when-the-fighting-erupted http://www.icrc.org/en/document/sudan-essential-services-breaking-point-after-two-months-fighting http://www.unocha.org/sudan   June 2023   Sudan conflict leaves 13.6 million children in desperate need of humanitarian aid. (UNICEF)   As the conflict in Sudan passes the six-week mark, over 13.6 million children are in urgent need of lifesaving humanitarian support, the highest number ever recorded in the country. The impact of ongoing violence continues to threaten the lives and futures of families and children, leaving basic services cut off and many health facilities closed, damaged, or destroyed.   The need for humanitarian assistance has never been more critical for children in Sudan, as the most vulnerable populations struggle to survive and be protected. Access to basic necessities is becoming increasingly difficult to secure. Prior to the conflict, nearly nine million children were already in urgent need of humanitarian aid.   "As the conflict in Sudan rages on, the toll on children continues to grow more devastating by the day,” said Adele Khodr, UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa.   “These children are not just numbers, they are individuals with families, dreams and aspirations. They are the future of Sudan, and we cannot stand by while their lives are torn apart by violence. The children of Sudan deserve a chance to survive and thrive. No efforts should be spared by all actors to protect the children and their rights".   A situation that was already dire for children before the conflict is now at catastrophic levels, with access to food, safe water, electricity, and telecommunications unreliable, inaccessible and unaffordable. People have fled their homes and are internally displaced in Sudan, including many hundreds of thousands who have crossed into neighbouring countries so far, half of whom are believed to be children.   Without an immediate and extensive humanitarian response, the consequences of displacement, lack of basic social services, and protection will have devastating - and long-term - effects on children.   UNICEF is appealing for funding to meet the urgent needs of children, including to treat over 620,000 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition, half of whom may die if not helped in time.   http://www.unicef.org/mena/press-releases/sudan-conflict-leaves-13-million-children-desperate-need-of-humanitarian-aid http://www.savethechildren.net/news/nearly-half-children-sudan-set-go-hungry-conflict-stops-farming http://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/window-closing-humanitarian-actors-provide-timely-response-sudan-and-across-region http://www.ifrc.org/press-release/sudan-critical-funding-needed-urgently-continue-aid-people-affected-conflict http://www.unhcr.org/news/press-releases/unhcr-heightened-risks-violations-and-sexual-violence-reported-civilians http://www.ohchr.org/en/statements/2023/06/high-commissioner-calls-end-sea-suffering http://www.msf.org/conflict-sudan http://www.globalr2p.org/publications/urgent-alert-on-rising-atrocity-risks-in-darfur-sudan http://www.wfp.org/news/hunger-set-hit-record-high-sudan-fighting-continues   May. 2023   Plight of civilians amid hostilities. (OHCHR)   Two weeks after the fighting erupted between the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) – imposing fear, deprivation, trauma and suffering on the civilian population – the human rights situation in Sudan continues to dramatically deteriorate.   Hundreds of thousands of people have fled their homes to find places of greater safety, at any cost, and have been facing abuses en route.   Thousands remain trapped in residential areas where fighting has been taking place, facing air strikes, shelling and the use of heavy weapons, trying to use any period of calm to reach places of relative safety.   People also continue to be forced from their homes by the RSF and suffer looting, extortion, acute shortages of food, water, electricity, fuel, limited access to healthcare, limited communication and limited cash due to the closure of banks.   Clashes continue to be reported in densely populated areas of Khartoum, Bahri, Omdurman and towns in Darfur and North Kordofan. We are concerned at the serious risk of violence escalating in West Darfur as the hostilities between the RSF and SAF have triggered intercommunal violence. In El Geneina, West Darfur, deadly ethnic clashes have been reported, with hundreds of people killed.   It is deeply alarming that inmates have been released from, or escaped from, a number of prisons. We are very worried about the prospect of further violence, amid a generalized climate of impunity.   We call on the parties to immediately end hostilities, and in particular to halt hostilities in residential areas and to cease targeting the civilian population and infrastructure. The protection of civilians must be paramount. International humanitarian law demands it.   Following decades of repression, armed conflict and deprivation, the people of Sudan must not be subjected to further violations of their fundamental human rights. We call on all those with influence to use every possible means to de-escalate the situation and to stand in solidarity with the Sudanese people in their demands for a peaceful and democratic future.   UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk underscores the deep yearning and determination for freedom of the Sudanese people – who overthrew a military dictatorship of 30 years and resisted the subsequent military takeover with great courage. It is unfathomable that once again force is being used against them. The guns must be silenced and reason must prevail.   The head of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said that the violence wracking Sudan had “taken a terrible toll on health”.   “On top of the number of deaths and injuries caused by the conflict itself, WHO expects there will be many more deaths due to disease outbreaks, lack of access to food and water, and disruptions to essential health services, including immunization”, he said.   WHO estimates that one in four of the lives lost so far could have been saved with access to basic emergency medical treatment for the wounded.   “But paramedics, nurses and doctors are unable to access injured civilians, and civilians are unable to access services. In the capital Khartoum, 61 per cent of health facilities are closed, and only 16 per cent are operating as normal.”   As the fighting continues, the UN is preparing for a mass influx of refugees into countries across the region bordering Sudan, including the Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, and South Sudan. UNHCR is calling on all countries neighbouring Sudan to keep their borders open to those fleeing the violence, in fear of their lives, and called for funding support to deal with the new displacements.   In a joint statement, the Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, Virginia Gamba, and the Special Representative on Violence against Children, Najat Maalla M’jid, said they were alarmed at the reported numbers of civilian deaths, including children.   “The lives, protection and well-being of children must take precedence over combat operations, and we call on all parties to halt hostilities and to ensure full protection of all children.   “Parties should further refrain from attacking civilian infrastructures in accordance with international humanitarian law, especially those impacting children – this includes schools and medical facilities as well as water and sanitation systems”.   (Since fighting began in Sudan, cease-fires have been repeatedly negotiated only to be repeatedly broken).   http://www.nrc.no/perspectives/2023/seven-things-you-should-know-about-the-humanitarian-crisis-in-sudan/ http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-briefing-notes/2023/04/sudan-plight-civilians-amid-hostilities http://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/humanitarian-crisis-sudan-reaching-breaking-point http://reports.unocha.org/en/country/sudan/ http://www.unicef.org/sudan/press-releases/fighting-sudan-rapidly-worsening-already-dire-humanitarian-situation-children-warn http://www.unicef.org/topics/sudan http://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/aid-organizations-call-humanitarian-corridor-and-protection-civilians-west-darfur http://reliefweb.int/topic/sudan-regional-displacement-crisis http://www.unhcr.org/news/unhcr-s-grandi-avoid-further-suffering-and-major-refugee-crisis-sudan-needs-urgent-peace http://www.wfp.org/stories/we-lost-everything-sudanese-refugees-arrive-chad-difficult-times-loom http://www.msf.org/msf-responds-medical-needs-prepares-scale-activities-sudan http://www.globalr2p.org/countries/sudan/ http://news.un.org/en/story/2023/04/1135917 http://www.emro.who.int/media/news/regional-director-opening-remarks-at-regional-press-briefing-on-sudan.html   16 Apr. 2023   Sudan: Fighting in densely populated areas endangers civilian lives; Humanitarian organizations must be able to reach those in need. (ICRC)   As clashes continue in Khartoum and other Sudanese cities, heavy gunfire and blasts are happening in the proximity of densely populated residential areas and civilian infrastructure with civilian casualties being reported in various locations.   The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) calls on all parties to respect their obligations under international humanitarian law. This includes facilitating the work of humanitarian organizations, taking all feasible precautions to avoid civilian injuries and loss of life, ensuring quick access and safety for ambulances and medical personnel, and treating all detainees humanely.   "We are extremely worried that the fighting is affecting densely populated areas. People are seeking cover in their houses," said Alfonso Verdu Perez, the head of the ICRC delegation in Sudan. "We call on all parties to facilitate the work of humanitarian organizations so that we can help those in need."   People living in large cities like Khartoum are heavily dependent on public infrastructure. Any damage to these facilities can disrupt essential services like healthcare, water and power. The ICRC, together with the Sudanese Red Crescent Society (SRCS), is closely monitoring the humanitarian situation in Khartoum and other parts of the country and is ready to respond to urgent humanitarian needs once the situation allows.   The Islamic Relief aid agency said it was extremely concerned at the new escalation of violence in Sudan, which risks exacerbating the country’s humanitarian crisis. More than 15 million across Sudan people are already suffering from food shortages and rampant inflation.   Sudan has one of the world’s highest rates of child malnutrition, with more than 3 million children malnourished and the number is increasing. Many families cannot afford regular food as the depreciation of the Sudanese currency, as well as the impact of the war in Ukraine and Sudan’s political crisis, has caused the price of food to skyrocket. Staple food such as sorghum and millet have risen by 700 percent in the last few years and are 60 percent higher than a year ago.   Save the Children’s Country Director in Sudan, Arshad Malik, said:   “While fighting is ongoing, there are international legal obligations to take all necessary precautions to protect civilians and civilian objects, including schools and hospitals, which are protected under International Humanitarian Law. The use of explosive weapons in populated areas should also be avoided as it risks severe harm to civilians, in particular children. We call on all parties to the violence to halt the fighting immediately, before more lives are lost.”   Much of the fighting is currently reportedly taking place in the capital area, where roughly 12 million of the country's 46 million people live.   The violence has left many civilians trapped indoors and desperately seeking essential supplies. Many are running out of food and water. It has become dangerous to venture out of the homes to restock on supplies. News agencies reported the streets of Khartoum are littered with dead bodies.   "Thousands upon thousands of civilians are trapped in their homes, shielding from the fighting, with no electricity, unable to venture out and worried about running out of food, drinking water and medicine," said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk.   http://www.icrc.org/en/document/sudan-icrc-calls-urgent-access-fighting-takes-disastrous-human-toll http://www.icrc.org/en/document/sudan-fighting-densely-populated-areas-endangers-civilian-lives-humanitarian-organisations http://www.savethechildren.net/news/calls-protect-children-khartoum-fighting-spreads http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2023/04/sudan-turk-urges-immediate-end-hostilities-return-talks http://www.wfp.org/news/wfp-warns-sudan-fighting-could-plunge-millions-more-hunger http://www.msf.org/msf-urges-safety-medical-teams-fighting-escalates-sudan   http://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/sudan-ingo-forum-calls-conflict-parties-ensure-protection-civilians-including-aid-workers-and-assets-and-allow-immediate-scale-life-saving-humanitarian-assistance http://response.reliefweb.int/sudan http://www.nrc.no/perspectives/2023/sudan-a-testimony-from-the-ground/ http://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/sudan-explosive-weapons-harming-civilians http://www.ohchr.org/en/news/2023/05/human-rights-council-asks-designated-expert-high-commissioner-human-rights-sudan http://www.hrw.org/news/2023/04/25/questions-and-answers-sudan-and-laws-war http://www.globalr2p.org/publications/sudan-urgently-convene-a-special-session-and-establish-an-investigative-mechanism/ http://www.icrc.org/en/document/icrc-explainer-what-does-international-law-say-about-universal-jurisdiction-war-crimes Visit the related web page
	Respect for international humanitarian law in arms transfer decisions must apply by ICRC, Amnesty, Control Arms, agencies   Aug. 2024   The Arms Trade Treaty must be faithfully implemented to prevent serious violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law.   ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric addresses the Tenth Conference of State Parties to the Arms Trade Treaty on World Humanitarian Day:   "A week ago, for the 75th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions, I urged the world to recommit to a robust protective framework that saves lives and preserves humanity. It is a dangerous time for civilians and for humanitarian personnel who strive to respond to unprecedented humanitarian needs.   As we mark World Humanitarian Day, the normalization of attacks against civilians and humanitarian personnel must be halted.   The prohibition to transfer weapons where there is a risk they could be used for such purposes must be upheld.   Every day, the ICRC witnesses the immense human suffering caused by armed violence and conflict, fueled by the widespread availability and misuse of arms and ammunition.   In many places, including in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti, Israel and the occupied territories, the Sahel, Sudan, Somalia, Ukraine and Yemen, to mention but a few, this influx of weapons exacts an unacceptable human toll and hinders the prospects of building lasting peace.   With global arms sales on the rise, driven by growing international tensions, resurgent arms race dynamics and commercial incentives, the promotion of responsible action and restraint in the international arms trade is an ever more pressing humanitarian imperative.   Can the international community accept that vast quantities of conventional arms and ammunition continue to flow – overtly and covertly – to some of the most brutal armed conflicts, where there is a clear or overriding risk that they could be used to commit or facilitate international humanitarian law violations?   The Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) was designed to prevent the recurrence of horrors of preceding wars. When faithfully implemented, it plays an indispensable part in States’ efforts to prevent serious violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law.   As States Parties to the ATT, you showed leadership in adhering to the first global treaty to regulate the international trade in conventional arms.   I urge you to take an honest look at how actions and inactions in arms transfer perpetuate suffering and to demonstrate renewed commitment to the clear humanitarian purpose of the Arms Trade Treaty.   As part of your obligations, you must ensure that arms transfer decisions are subject to humanitarian concerns.   Any State as an arms supplier must apply greater diligence in assessing the risks posed by the arms they transfer, and implement timely, robust and practical measures that can realistically offset such risks.   Respect for international humanitarian law in arms transfer decisions must apply at all levels of decision-making and must not be trumped by economic or political considerations.   Where there is a clear risk that arms would be used to commit international humanitarian law violations, you must refrain from transferring them.   Exporting States should, furthermore, use their influence to foster respect for international humanitarian law by the arms recipient.   Second, the Treaty’s humanitarian aspirations must be operationalized to yield tangible impact on the ground.   The humanitarian purpose of the Treaty is evident. It recognizes the human cost of arms availability and spells out the aim of contributing to international and regional peace and security.."   http://www.icrc.org/en/news-release/arms-trade-treaty-must-be-faithfully-implemented-prevent-serious-violations http://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2025/05/sudan-advanced-chinese-weaponry-provided-by-uae-identified-in-breach-of-arms-embargo-new-investigation/ http://www.business-humanrights.org/en/latest-news/sudan-european-defence-firms-face-questions-over-weapons-diversion-to-conflict-zones http://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2024/08/global-governments-brazen-flouting-of-arms-trade-treaty-rules-leading-to-devastating-loss-of-life/ http://disarmament.unoda.org/convarms/att/ http://thearmstradetreaty.org/ http://controlarms.org/csp/csp-2025/ http://controlarms.org/csp/ http://www.sipri.org/media/pressreleases Visit the related web page
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