Sudan War Puts an Entire Generation’s Future at Risk, UN Warns

The ongoing war in Sudan is threatening the future of an entire generation, with more than 8 million school-age children currently out of school, the United Nations has warned.

UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed issued the warning during an informal UN Security Council session on protecting education in Sudan as the conflict enters its fourth year.

According to the UN, nearly three-quarters of schools in Darfur have been damaged, destroyed or rendered unusable since fighting erupted in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

Mohammed said five out of every six children in Sudan are currently out of school. She noted that many parents are keeping their children at home because they fear schools are no longer safe.

The UN has documented more than 67 attacks on schools and over 154 cases of schools being used for military purposes since 2024. Mohammed said the actual figures are likely to be significantly higher.

The conflict has also severely affected teachers, with more than half of Sudan’s teachers reportedly going unpaid, although many continue working despite the difficult conditions.

“Sudan has already lost a generation to its earlier wars, and it is losing another one now,” Mohammed warned, stressing that women and children are bearing the greatest burden of the conflict.

The UN said it and its humanitarian partners have helped more than one million Sudanese children return to some form of learning this year, but acknowledged that the effort remains far below what is required.

Since the war began, millions of people have been displaced, while nearly 33 million people, more than half of them children, are estimated to be in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has described the situation as a “human rights catastrophe”, citing reports of mass killings and sexual violence.

The UN is urging greater international efforts to protect civilians, restore education and prevent Sudan’s war from permanently destroying the future of millions of children.

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