The humanitarian situation in El Fasher, Sudan, remains catastrophic, with widespread violence, displacement, and reports of atrocities, including sexual assaults and summary executions. Women and girls face extreme protection risks and often reach health facilities too late to receive life-saving post-exposure prophylaxis. Conditions in displacement sites are rapidly worsening, with hundreds of thousands living in overcrowded, unsanitary environments. In Tawila — now hosting an estimated 700,000 people — access to essential services is critically limited, while Al Dabbah has become a main transit point for families fleeing north under extremely harsh conditions. Needs for sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and gender-based violence (GBV) services continue to rise as the crisis deepens.
UNFPA continues to deliver life-saving SRH and GBV services across North Darfur despite severe access and security constraints. In Tawila, a 24-hour Basic Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (BEmONC) facility provides continuous maternal and newborn services, supported by a roving team of midwives conducting home visits for pregnant and postpartum women. Five safe spaces for women and girls — three in Tawila and two in Al Dabbah — provide GBV response, psychosocial support, and referrals for specialized care. UNFPA has also prepositioned reproductive health and dignity kits to serve 300,000 people in South Darfur and Chad, ready for deployment once humanitarian access is secured, and continues to coordinate with partners to expand mobile health and protection services for newly displaced communities.
UNFPA urgently requires US$4.8 million to sustain and scale up its life-saving response in Sudan, with only 6 per cent of the appeal currently funded. Of this amount, US$2.88 million is needed for SRH services and US$1.92 million for GBV prevention and response. Without additional support, the continuity of critical maternal care, safe deliveries, and GBV protection services will be jeopardized, leaving thousands of women and girls without access to essential health care, safety, and dignity.
