PORT SUDAN, 15 April 2025 – An average of one child every 10 seconds has been forced to flee their homes since the conflict began in Sudan two years ago, according to new analysis from Save the Children.
To mark this devastating milestone the Charity commissioned Sudanese illustrator, Shiroug Idris, to tell the story of one of these children, Fatima*, aged 11, to highlight the impact of war on their lives.
Shiroug was forced to flee her home in Khartoum and is now living in Kassala in Eastern Sudan. She travelled to Gedaref with Save the Children to see their work first-hand and ran a drawing workshop with children to tell their own stories of the conflict.
"As someone who was forced to flee this terrible conflict, it is heartbreaking to witness what these children are going through. Millions have been displaced, forced from their homes, and robbed of the childhood every child deserves," Shiroug said.
"Through my drawings, I hope to make the world more aware of the atrocities unfolding in Sudan and the devastating impact on children's lives. Governments around the world must do more to recognise this crisis and put an end to the suffering.”
Sudan is the largest child displacement crisis in the world, with over 6.5 million children uprooted from their homes [1] [2] since the conflict erupted in Sudan's capital, Khartoum, in April 2023.
In the chaos, many children have been separated from their families and are at higher risk of being attacked or exploited. Save the Children recorded about 2,686 cases of extreme violence and abuse against children in Sudan in 2024 – on average seven children a day.
Fatima*, 11, was forced to flee her home in Al-Jazirah state following violent clashes. She said: “On the first day of the attack, which was a Friday, I was sleeping at home when a bullet went through the window. I woke up, and my mother pointed out, ‘Look at those missiles.’”
Fatima* and her family escaped to a nearby village, but armed men came to their house and threatened to kill them. Her family moved through multiple villages, facing violence, extortion, and hardship before reaching a camp in Gedaref.
“I was scared that we would be killed, but my mum reassured me. When we arrived in Gedaref, I was happy because there were no sounds of fighting, just peace,” Fatima* said.
Once they arrived there at a reception centre for displaced people, Save the Children provided her family with food, blankets, mattresses, clothes, including pyjamas and slippers.
Fatima* now attends school and the Child Friendly Space, where she’s taking part in activities such as art, sports, and structured play, to help process her trauma, build resilience, and regain her sense of identity and confidence.
Fatima* added: “The activity space is nice. Here, there are games and activities. We have songs and sports. The teachers are kind and treat us well. I told my mother, "Here, there are no soldiers, no gunfire, nothing bad.’"
Her message to other children in Sudan is: “Don’t be afraid; we will go back home, just like others have.”
Mohamad Abdiladif, the Country Director for Save the Children Sudan, said: “For two years, armed conflict and widespread violence in Sudan have caused immense suffering for children. Millions have been displaced, with their homes, schools, and hospitals destroyed. This has become the world’s largest displacement crisis for children, but despite the urgent need, the crisis in Sudan remains largely underreported and the world is not taking notice.”
“When people are forced to flee their homes due to violence, it’s usually the women and children who go first – and we often see displacement camps filled with children. But the number of children displaced in Sudan – and their young age and vulnerability – is staggering. The world has a duty of care for children, and we are failing them.”
“We urgently call on the international community to take meaningful and urgent political action to address the crisis in Sudan. This includes implementing an immediate ceasefire and making progress towards a lasting peace agreement, advocating for and supporting robust initiatives to protect civilians and leading comprehensive negotiations to ensure those in need have access to humanitarian aid.”
Ministers are meeting in London tomorrow to mark the second anniversary of the conflict in Sudan. This is a critical opportunity to galvanise global attention and meaningful political action.
Save the Children is calling on the UK Government and its international partners to keep their promises to provide critical aid to children in Sudan and protect funding for neighbouring countries where funding cuts are pushing refugee services to breaking point. They must dial up pressure on all warring parties and their international backers to secure a lasting political solution that ends the violence once and for all.
Save the Children has worked in Sudan since 1983 and provides programming for children and families affected by conflict, displacement, extreme poverty and hunger.
In Gedaref, we are providing shelter and Child Friendly Spaces to help children regain some of their childhood after the conflict. These spaces offer art workshops and Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) provided by trained psychologists and Save the Children caseworkers and volunteers.
NOTES: *Name changed to protect identities.
Fatima's* Story of Displacement - Save the Children
[1] https://data.unhcr.org/en/situations/sudansituation
[2] https://dtm.iom.int/reports/dtm-sudan-mobility-update-15
Snapshot was taken on 17th March 2025 and may include people who have since returned to their place of origin.
- Internally Displaced People (IDPs) in Sudan: 8,856,313 (IOM, OCHA - February 2025).
- Over half (53%) of IDPs were reportedly children under the age of 18-years-old (IOM).
- IDPs who are under 18: 4,693,845 (IOM)
- Total newly arrived refugees/asylum seekers: 3,772,215 (UNHCR, IOM & Governments - December 2024)
Egypt: 1.5 million – 19% boys 0-17 (285,000) & 19% girls 0-17 (285,000). Total: 570,000
South Sudan: 1,088,463 – 34% boys 0-17 (370,077) & 31% girls 0-17 (337,423). Total: 707,500
Chad: 769,716 – 27% boys 0-17 (207,823) & 28% girls 0-17 (215,520). Total: 423,343
Libya: 256,000 – 17% boys 0-17 (43,520) & 20% girls 0-17 (51,200). Total: 94,720
Ethiopia: 71,699 – 28% boys 0-17 (20,075) & 30% girls 0-17 (21,509). Total: 41,584
Uganda: 70,623 – 22% boys 0-17 (15,537) & 20% girls 0-17 (14,124). Total: 29,661
CAR: 42,084 – 27% boys 0-17 (11,362) & 24% girls 0-17 (10,100). Total: 21,462
Total: 1,888,270
IDPs who are under 18: 4,693,845 + Total newly arrived refugees/asylum seekers under 18 outside Sudan: 1,888,270 = 6,582,115
- This reflects data recorded since the commencement of the conflict in April 2023.
6,582,115 ÷ 731 (number of days from the last two years) = 9,004 every day
9,004 ÷ 24 (hours in a day) = 375 every hour
375 ÷ 60 (minutes in an hour) = 6.25 every minute = One every 10 seconds