UNICEF Urges Urgent Action for Sudanese Refugee Children Amid Crisis in Chad

As conflict in Sudan continues to displace millions, the humanitarian crisis along Chad’s eastern border has reached alarming levels. Over 700,000 Sudanese children have fled to Chad since April 2023, part of a staggering two million children displaced by the war. UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell concluded a three-day mission to Chad with a stark warning: without immediate international support, hundreds of thousands of refugee and host community children face malnutrition, exploitation, and disease.

Russell visited Adré, a border town now overwhelmed by the refugee influx. The town, once a remote corner of eastern Chad, now holds six times more refugees than local residents. “In eastern Chad, I met women and children who arrived with nothing but horrific memories,” said Russell. “One mother recounted escaping from El Geneina in Darfur amid killings, mass rapes, and the burning of homes. The trauma is unimaginable.”

Children Bear the Heaviest Burden

According to government estimates, nearly 860,000 Sudanese refugees and 274,000 Chadian returnees have entered Chad since the conflict began. Children make up a majority of both groups—61% of refugee arrivals and 68% of returnees—and many are unaccompanied, orphaned, or severely traumatized.

The provinces of Ouaddaï, Sila, Wadi Fira, and Ennedi Est, among the most impoverished in Chad, have absorbed most of the displaced populations. These areas, already struggling with limited resources, are now pushed to the brink. Access to food, clean water, healthcare, and education has become critically strained, raising fears of widespread disease outbreaks and worsening malnutrition.

A UNICEF assessment reveals that:

• Two out of three refugee children are not in school

• Malnutrition and measles are on the rise

• There is a high risk of a cholera outbreak spreading from West Darfur into Chad

• Basic services such as health posts, water supply, and child protection facilities are overstretched

Humanitarian Efforts Underway

UNICEF is mounting an integrated emergency response to protect and support children and families. Working with local authorities and humanitarian partners, the organization has deployed resources across multiple sectors:

• Health & Nutrition: Thousands of children have been vaccinated, and emergency feeding programmes are being expanded to prevent acute malnutrition.

• Water & Sanitation: Safe drinking water has been provided to tens of thousands, and hygiene kits are being distributed to reduce the spread of disease.

• Child Protection: UNICEF has established child-friendly spaces, strengthened gender-based violence services, and is helping Chadian foster families caring for unaccompanied minors.

• Education: Emergency learning programs and school kits are being rolled out to bring children back to education as quickly as possible.

Despite these efforts, significant funding gaps remain. For its 2025 humanitarian response plan, UNICEF requires $114 million, yet only 34% of the target has been funded to date.

A Call for Global Solidarity

Catherine Russell’s visit also included a meeting with Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno, where she reaffirmed UNICEF’s long-term commitment to the country and discussed collaboration under Chad’s National Development Plan 2030. The plan emphasizes scaling up health, education, and social protection systems — a critical step toward resilience in the face of recurring crises.

While Chad has made measurable gains — cutting under-five mortality in half since 1992 and increasing routine immunization coverage — the challenges remain immense. With 1.5 million children under five stunted and over 3 million out of school, the country needs international support now more than ever.

“The people of Chad have shown extraordinary generosity,” said Russell. “But they cannot do this alone. We must stand in solidarity with them – and with the children of Sudan – by expanding support to national systems and frontline communities.”

Looking Ahead

As Chad continues to absorb the fallout from the Sudanese conflict, humanitarian needs are escalating rapidly. The situation is a stark reminder of how conflict, poverty, and climate change intersect to create layered emergencies that particularly endanger children.

UNICEF’s response strategy is clear: act fast, act collaboratively, and act at scale. But without sustained donor support and international political will, the lives and futures of hundreds of thousands of children remain at risk.