Since April 2023, Sudan has been plunged into an absolutely devastating civil war, with the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) locked in a relentless fight for power. This conflict quickly spread from the political elite right down to ordinary people who just wanted peace, turning towns, cities, and even entire regions into disaster zones. In a matter of months, millions—over 12 million at last count—were forced to flee their homes, and countless others have lost everything they spent a lifetime working for. Whole communities are scattered, kids separated from their parents, with people trying to survive however they can.
Behind those numbers are people trapped in circumstances they never chose. Mothers worry if their children will eat that day or survive the night. Hospitals, which should have been places of safety, have become targets—some bombed, some stripped bare, leaving people to die from treatable wounds and illnesses. Eyewitness accounts describe villages set on fire, mass graves, sexual violence used to terrorize, and bodies left where they fell. Every escape turns into another ordeal, with refugees forced back or preyed upon as they search for shelter. Humanitarian aid, so desperately needed, is often blocked or completely cut off by those fighting for control.
The toll on mental health has been nothing short of crushing. Levels of anxiety, depression, and deep psychological trauma are off the charts. People talk about nightmares and the guilt of having survived when so many others didn’t. Children, in particular, are shattered—their future and sense of safety wiped out overnight. For many, hope starts to feel pointless. With almost no support or services, most people just push on, focused only on getting through the next day. The scars run deep, and they’ll shape Sudan for generations.
But the damage doesn’t stop at Sudan’s borders. This crisis is also changing how people everywhere see the world. When international organizations and governments respond slowly or not at all, trust in global systems takes a massive hit. People in Sudan—and watching elsewhere—start to believe that justice, human rights, and even basic decency are just empty promises. There’s a growing sense of disillusionment, and questions like “do some lives matter less than others?” are painfully real for those living through this nightmare.
The roots of Sudan’s tragedy go far back—decades of political repression, repeated military coups, and deep ethnic divisions that were never really resolved. Outside forces and neighboring countries, chasing influence and backing whichever side benefits them, just make a bad situation worse. It’s a reminder that conflicts like this are never just ‘local issues’—they grow, spill over, and test the whole idea of international solidarity.
With famine already looming and refugees streaming into neighboring countries, the risk of a massive regional catastrophe is real. Sudan isn’t just facing a war—it’s facing the collapse of an entire humanitarian system, and the consequences could be felt far beyond its borders, with ripple effects threatening the stability of all of East Africa.
As the Rights Defenders Initiative (RDI), we urge every authority, every country, and every international body: put the people of Sudan first. We call for immediate, safe access for real humanitarian aid, genuine investigations into crimes and human rights abuses, and real accountability for everyone responsible—no matter how powerful. Ignoring this catastrophe means accepting a world where justice and dignity are off the table for the most vulnerable. Restoring peace and hope in Sudan is not just a moral obligation—it’s a test of whether humanity, justice, and solidarity actually mean something in our world
References
- https://rescue.org/article/crisis-sudan-what-happening-and-how-help/International Rescue Committee – Crisis in Sudan
- https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/11/1144971/UN News – Aid teams plead for access to Sudan
- https://crisisgroup.org/africa/horn-africa/sudan/after-el-fasher-ending-sudans-atrocious-war/International Crisis Group – Ending Sudan’s Atrocious War
- https://cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker/conflict/civil-war-sudan/Council on Foreign Relations – Civil War in Sudan
