• Over two years of conflict and civil war.
  • More than 12 million people displaced.
  • 30.4 million people in need of humanitarian support.
  • Devastating famine.
  • Minimal press coverage.

Since April 2023, fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has led to the world’s largest humanitarian crisis.

Earlier this week, AIDN hosted an Emergency Briefing on this crisis. We encourage you to watch the recording and read below to learn how you can ensure that the world does not turn its back on this any longer.

We extend our sincere thanks to our panellists for their important insights including:
👉 Catherine Green (Head of Urgent Challenges at Minderoo Foundation)
👉 Lisa Searle (Senior Project Coordinator at Médecins Sans Frontières Australia)
👉 Dr Alaa Elmalik (President of the Sudanese Australian Medical Professional Association)
👉 Annmarie Swai (Deputy Program Director from UNICEF in Sudan)

The philanthropic community must step up and respond. For individuals and organisations that would like to support the Humanitarian Response in Sudan, there are many ways to do this depending on your preferences and organisational guidelines. The most important thing is to translate compassion into action and keep raising our voices about Sudan.

You can direct your giving to the three organisations that featured on our panel, which are all registered charities in Australia, including UNICEF Sudan Appeal, MSF Sudan Appeal and The Sudanese Australian Medical Professionals Association accepts donations through bank transfer – BSB 063349 Account Number: 10274043.

There is also a useful guide for philanthropists on Sudan that the Centre for Disaster Philanthropy has put together which provides guidance on how to give to local organisations in Sudan. In addition:

Q&A from our panel

In the Briefing, there were several questions posed to the panel that we didn’t have time to get to. Here are their responses now:

Q: In addition to the practical contributions to the NGO sector, what are the necessary steps to sustainably move the needle in Sudan and South Sudan at a macro level?

  • Moving the needle in Sudan at a macro level requires systemic action and investment. This is not just a Sudanese crisis – it is a global moral imperative. Every child in Sudan deserves protection and dignity, and everyone can play a role in making that happen.
  • Advocacy is critical: we need strong voices calling for an immediate end to the violence. Fighting in Al Fasher and across Sudan must stop, and all parties must respect international humanitarian law to protect civilians, especially children and women. Schools, hospitals, and humanitarian facilities must never be used as military targets. Safe humanitarian corridors must be opened, and bureaucratic barriers removed to ensure aid reaches the most vulnerable children, women and families who need it most.
  • Funding is equally urgent: UNICEF, with partners, is responding to the growing needs in Al Fasher, the Kordofans, and surrounding localities with our regular resources and flexible partner contributions. But the scale and complexity of this crisis demand more. UNICEF urgently needs USD 2 million in the next three months to address rising protection needs – supporting women and children, expanding operations in newly affected areas, and scaling up essential services like psychosocial support, family tracing and reunification, and prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse, victim assistance, and mine risk education.
  • Every individual, philanthropy, or a foundation can make a difference. Individuals can raise awareness, advocate for peace, and support organisations delivering life-saving aid. Philanthropies and foundations can provide flexible funding to meet urgent needs. And everyone can use their voice to demand an end to violence and protection for children and women.

Q: Is UNICEF experiencing the same barriers as MSF?

  • Access challenges persist for both UNICEF and its partners. Safe corridors must urgently be opened to ensure life-saving assistance reaches children, women, and families trapped in Al Fasher and newly displaced communities in Tawila, Kordofan, and surrounding areas. Bureaucratic and security obstacles continue to hinder the rapid delivery of essential supplies and the safe movement of humanitarian staff. These barriers must be eliminated to allow timely and effective response.

Q: Do local Sudanese staff need to apply for these permits into the States or is that something that only applies for foreign staff?

  • Sudanese staff are generally not subject to the same permit requirements as international staff. Although if national staff are travelling in UN vehicles, their names must appear on the vehicle manifest for clearance purposes. Also, for air travel to Kassala or Dongola, for example, no permits are required, making restrictions much lighter for national staff compared to international personnel. In short, while formal permits are not needed for Sudanese staff, manifest requirements apply when using UN transport.

For those interested in learning more or supporting the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Sudan please see below: