Over 70% of Sudanese children face severe danger, agency says

June 12, 2026 (KHARTOUM) – Around 71% of Sudanese children are currently living in hazardous conditions, leaving them highly vulnerable to economic exploitation, violence, and severe rights violations, Sudan’s National Council for Child Welfare said on Friday.

The statement, released by the council’s Secretary-General Abdul Qadir Abdullah Abu to mark the World Day Against Child Labour, highlighted the worsening crisis faced by youth since the outbreak of war between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in April 2023.

Observed annually on June 12 since its inception by the International Labour Organization in 2002, the day aims to catalyze global efforts to eradicate child labour and strengthen social protection systems.

Abu stated that the ongoing conflict has severely deteriorated household living standards across Sudan. This economic collapse has triggered a sharp rise in child labour, school dropouts, displacement, and the breakdown of family and community protection networks.

He emphasized that ending child labour requires tackling the underlying economic and social drivers forcing families to send their children to work. He called for the expansion of social safety nets and targeted support for conflict-affected households.

The council stressed that child protection is a collective responsibility requiring active partnerships between government bodies, international agencies, and civil society organizations to ensure safe access to education and healthy development.

Abu urged United Nations agencies, international organizations, and civil society groups to intensify operations against all forms of child exploitation. He specifically highlighted the recruitment of children by armed groups, forced labour, and hazardous jobs such as artisanal mining.

The secretary-general called for urgent national and international intervention to shield millions of Sudanese children from mounting humanitarian risks and systemic abuse.