Darfur: Two decades on, a new generation of children faces 'horrific violence'

In a new Child Alert report titled Darfur: 20 Years On, Children Under Threat, UN children's agency UNICEF warns that while the horrors of 2005 are repeating, the scale of need is now far greater, and international attention is dangerously constrained.

A worsening crisis of violence

The report draws a chilling parallel between the past and the present. Homes, schools, and hospitals are again under fire, but the modern nature of the fighting between rival militaries has become even more lethal.

Since April 2024, more than 1,500 grave violations against children have been verified in the regional capital of El Fasher alone.

Over 1,300 children have been killed or maimed in the city - which was held by military Government forces until being overrun by RSF militia after a lengthy siege last October - many by explosive weapons and drones.

Beyond the physical strikes, children face the trauma of abduction, recruitment into armed groups, and sexual violence.

"Twenty years ago, the world united in outrage at the suffering of children in Darfur. Today, a new generation of children is living through horrific violence, hunger and terror," said Catherine Russell, UNICEF Executive Director.

Across the whole of Sudan, the UN has verified over 5,700 grave violations since the current war began. The trend is accelerating: in the first three months of 2026, child fatalities rose significantly compared with the previous year.

Barriers to lifesaving aid

Despite the collapse of infrastructure and the spread of famine, humanitarian efforts are being strangled by insecurity, bureaucratic hurdles, and a massive funding gap. Many families in North Darfur remain entirely cut off from food and safe water due to prolonged sieges.

While UNICEF and its partners continue to provide mobile health services and malnutrition treatment, the report warns that aid is not reaching those at the greatest risk.

"We cannot allow history to repeat itself," Ms. Russell urged. "Children in Darfur need protection and sustained humanitarian access. The parties to this conflict must end this brutal war."

UNICEF is calling for an immediate end to violations against minors and urging international donors to provide flexible funding to support those displaced both within Sudan and across its borders, particularly into overstretched communities in eastern Chad.