This post is for those working with children and young people from Sudan in refugee status determination and humanitarian protection. New country of origin information is available. The resource, published by the charity Asylos, aims to assist evidence-based decision-making.

Situation for children and young people in Sudan

In April 2023, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) headed by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as ‘Hemedti’, clashed in Khartoum’s, plunging the country into war.

The de facto SAF government is in exile in Port Sudan and has been ineffective at restoring governance.

The Armed Conflict Location and Event Data documented 18,760 reported fatalities in Sudan.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that Sudan has the largest internally displaced population in the world; over 11 million people have been internally displaced, with approximately 7.3 million people internally displaced since mid-April 2023.

“Half of Sudan’s population, 25 million people, needs humanitarian assistance,” Martin Griffiths, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, warned in February 2024.

In January 2024, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported that Sudan has one of the highest rates of child malnutrition in the world. More than three million children under five suffer from acute malnutrition, 700,000 could die from its severest form without medical attention. 7.4 million children are without access to safe drinking water, and 2 million children have not received essential vaccines. The World Food Programme (WFP) documented approximately 14 million children in need lifesaving assistance, as of February 2024.

In January 2024, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported that 19 million children (1 in 3 of children in Sudan) are out of school. Schools have been closed since the conflict started. More than 18,000 schools are closed, used as emergency shelters for the displaced population.

Doctors Without Borders estimated one child is dying on average every two hours in the Zamzam displaced persons camp in North Darfur due to disease and malnutrition, as of February 2024. Among children screened and aged six months to two years, nearly 40 per cent were malnourished.

In March 2024, United Nations experts were alarmed by reported acts against women and girls by the RSF, including rape, sexual violence, sexual exploitation, forced work, and enforced disappearance. Some of the reported rapes appear to be ethnically and racially motivated. Women and girls are being sold at slave markets in areas controlled by RSF forces and other armed groups, including in North Darfur.

Sudanese women and girls in urban centers as well as in Darfur have been particularly vulnerable to violence. The lives and safety of migrant and refugee women and girls, primarily from Eritrea and South Sudan, have also been seriously affected, United Nations experts warned.

Many sources consulted by Asylos reported unlawful recruitment and use of child soldiers. Dr. Abdullah, General Secretary of the National Council for the Protection of Childhood, documented 200 children recruited since mid-April 2023.

According to Human Rights Watch, RSF and allied forces, target non-Arab communities and Massalit civilians by reason of ethnic identity in El Geneina, West Darfur. Mass killings have been reported. Thousands of civilians, including adolescent boys, younger children and babies were killed in less than two months.

Experts interviewed for Asylos’ report indicated that the ongoing war has paralysed institutions responsible for vital registrations, such as issuing birth certificates putting children at risk of becoming stateless. Basic services, including child protection services, are largely non-existent and have been inadequately taken over by non-governmental organisations and United Nations agencies, which struggle with limited access and resources. In El Fasher, North Darfur, the situation is especially critical, the city is under siege, cutting off access to food, water, and medical supplies.

New country of origin information available on children and young people in Sudan

Asylos’ country of origin information report provides an overview of the ongoing conflict and the humanitarian crisis in Sudan and its impact on children. A child is defined as being below the age of 18 years. This definition aligns with Article 3 of the Palermo Protocol and Article 1 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Young people are defined as 18 to 24 years.

Sources reviewed were published between 1 September 2022 and 1 September 2023, with top up research of sources in 2024. Six experts with specialised knowledge in child protection and Sudan were interviewed.

The report provides information on child rights conventions and protocols, the children’s code and national strategy, the child protection system and alternative care. Relevant statistics on children in different systems are provided, as well as the rights and freedoms of children, including nationality and citizenship rights.

Principles covered include non-discrimination, the best interests of the child, and civil and socio-economic rights. Demographic and statistical data, including the total number of children disaggregated by age and gender, are documented.

The report also covers the situation for ethnic, religious, linguistic minorities or indigenous groups. There is a section on family structure and environment, parental styles and cultural norms. Information includes special protection measures for vulnerable children, including those in conflict with the law, victims of trafficking, children in armed conflict, female genital mutilation, forced and underage marriage, domestic violence, child labour and street children.

Refugees and internally displaced people in Sudan, including the return of separated or unaccompanied children and families, return agreements, family tracing and reunification efforts, and conditions for return are included. Factors considered include gender, family background, class, caste, health, education and income level. These factors can increase the risk of harm and influence the type of persecutory conduct inflicted on the child.

Limited or no country origin information found

Current information on the treatment of street children by officials was very limited. Specific data on the existence of shelters or organisations involved in the protection of children living and/or working on the streets was also limited. Information on whether identified victims of child trafficking are registered was not available.

No information was found on whether returned children have access to health care, including mental health care and rehabilitation. Most sources focused on the rehabilitation of Sudanese child soldiers or South Sudanese children, rather than returnees to the Republic of Sudan. Sources focused on Sudanese individuals seeking to reunite with family members outside of Sudan.

There was limited information on the availability of counselling or mediation services to assist children in re-establishing contact with their families, nor on the entities providing such services. No information was found on the main reasons leading to child imprisonment. No information was found on rehabilitation or aftercare services available for children after their sentence. Finally, there is little information on whether the way alternative care is financed limits access for all children.

Kama Petruczenko, Refugee Council:

Asylos continues to deliver high-quality research on areas vital to refugee protection, identifying gaps in evidence to ensure that people seeking asylum have the best chance at explaining why they should be recognised as refugees. The situation in Sudan is dire, forcing people to flee in search of safety. Children and young people are particularly affected by violence and displacement. The report highlights the dangers facing children and young people fleeing Sudan and provides a comprehensive overview of the rights afforded to children in Sudan. It also provides a unique insight of the situation on the ground, with evidence provided by experts in the field. I would strongly encourage anyone working with children and young people from Sudan to read this report and use it to support these children with getting protection status in the UK.

Download Asylos’ children and young people COI research and see the Sudan roundtable recording from 17 June 2024 here.

With thanks to the rest of the Asylos team for their input into this article.