UK government action urged as Sudan faces humanitarian catastrophe

15th April 2025

25 million people in Sudan could be at risk of starvation without urgent action – equal to nearly half the population of England
Unprecedented numbers enduring extreme hunger and forced displacement make Sudan one of the worst humanitarian crises in history

On the two-year mark of the conflict in Sudan, global children’s charity Plan International UK is urging the UK Government not to turn its back on Sudan, following the Prime Minister’s decision to slash the overseas aid budget.

Almost 25 million[1] people in Sudan could soon be at risk of starvation, which - according to new analysis by the charity - is the equivalent of almost half the population of England.

In total, over 30 million[2] people in Sudan are in urgent need of life saving humanitarian aid – equal to every single woman and girl in England and Wales.

Further analysis from the charity contextualises the severity of this crisis:

16 million[3] Sudanese children need urgent humanitarian assistance - more than the populations of London, Paris and Rome combined
8.6 million[4] people in Sudan have been internally displaced – equivalent to every single person in London being made homeless

The conflict has resulted in a lethal shortage of food, with famine conditions officially identified in Sudan in August - only the third time such a declaration has been made worldwide this millennium. By next month, at least 638,000[5] people in Sudan will be at immediate risk of dying due to hunger.

As the crisis continues to intensify, Plan International UK is urging the UK Government to maintain its funding commitment for Sudan and redouble its efforts to secure a ceasefire that ends the violence.

Marking two years since the crisis in Sudan started, Mohamed Kamal, Country Director for Plan International Sudan said:

“The sheer scale of the suffering being endured by people in Sudan is almost impossible to comprehend. Two years of brutal fighting, severe restrictions on the delivery of life-saving aid and a near-total collapse of the food supply across the country has caused a humanitarian catastrophe on a scale the world hasn’t witnessed in generations.

“We are particularly concerned about the impact on girls and young women, for whom the impact of this crisis has been especially severe: when hunger strikes, girls often eat last and least, while the risk of early marriage skyrockets as families struggle to feed their children.

“With every day that passes, more and more children face the unacceptable risk of death from extreme hunger, war and disease. Turning our backs on them would be utterly inhumane.”

“All parties to the conflict must urgently agree to an immediate ceasefire and to end the aid blockages that are preventing life-saving food and supplies from reaching millions in the most vulnerable and hardest-to-reach areas.”

To sign Plan International UK’s petition urging the UK government to help save lives in Sudan, visit - Sudan crisis: sign our petition now

Plan International UK Press Office

Leah Godfrey, Media & PR Adviser - [email protected]

Tel: 0300 777 7374

Notes to editors:

B-roll footage and photos from Sudan can be found on MediaBank.

Sources:

[1] IPC - Sudan - Acute Food Insecurity Snapshot

Population estimates for the UK, England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland - Office for National Statistics

[2] According to the UN: Sudan, ‘the most devastating humanitarian and displacement crisis in the world’

Male and female populations - GOV.UK Ethnicity facts and figures

[3] OCHA - Sudan Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan 2025 - Executive Summary