From War to Poverty: Aid groups struggle to assist displaced women
September 20, 2023 (PORT SUDAN) – Every day, scores of women gather outside the Sudanese Red Crescent headquarters in Port Sudan, awaiting cash assistance from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) worth $100. This aid is allocated to those displaced by the war who are impoverished in their new surroundings.
Millions of displaced individuals who fled to northern and central Sudan states face significant challenges in securing shelter and food after leaving Khartoum State. This is primarily due to the economic fragility of these regions, both urban and rural. Despite the ongoing war for the past five months, the international community has not mustered the necessary resources to address the resulting disaster. Meanwhile, the warring factions have allocated the country’s resources to the conflict.
United Nations reports provide detailed accounts of the dire conditions endured by Sudanese civilians. These reports document the spread of epidemics, diseases, and the tragic deaths of children and those with chronic illnesses. In its most recent report last Tuesday, the World Health Organization revealed that more than 1,200 children in Sudanese refugee camps have perished from hunger and disease between May and September.
Some displaced women lament not receiving any financial or humanitarian assistance since arriving in Port Sudan, as they struggle to find enough to feed their children, who suffer from hunger.
Shaza, one of these displaced women, shared her story, stating that she left behind all her belongings in Khartoum, where she had been living in modest economic circumstances. The war forced her to flee to relatives in Port Sudan, where she initially managed to get by. However, over time, she was compelled to rent a humble dwelling despite the exorbitant rental costs in the area. The expenses for rent have left her children with just one meagre meal per day. Consequently, she visits the Red Crescent premises daily, hoping to secure humanitarian aid or cash assistance.
Barakat Faris, the Acting Secretary-General of the Sudanese Red Crescent, disclosed in an interview that the IOM is considering increasing the cash support amount and expanding the number of beneficiaries. In coordination with the Sudanese Red Crescent, the IOM currently provides $100 per month to two thousand families affected by the war. The organization believes that cash transfers reduce the vulnerability of those in need, reducing the necessity to resort to harmful coping mechanisms.
Faris acknowledged the need to establish additional registration outlets to prevent large gatherings in front of the Red Crescent headquarters. He attributed the shortcomings in relief distribution to the organization’s limited capacity following attacks on its Khartoum Bahri, Zalingei, and Nyala offices during the war. He added that medicine and baby food stores had been looted, and 40 ambulance vehicles had been stolen.
Due to the war’s deteriorating conditions, the Red Crescent has issued an appeal to donors for 60 million Swiss francs. Unfortunately, only about 7% of this amount has been fulfilled. Despite these challenges, the Red Crescent operates in conflict zones, with its staff working within the constraints of available resources to assist displaced individuals across Sudan. However, they currently cannot operate in seven states, including the five states of Darfur and the states of South and West Kordofan, due to security concerns in these areas.
The Red Crescent has relocated its offices to Port Sudan, the capital of the Red Sea state in eastern Sudan, which now serves as Sudan’s temporary administrative capital. This move followed the burning of their offices in Khartoum during clashes between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces over the past five months.
One of the significant challenges faced by the Red Crescent is distributing relief to those displaced living with host families, as they cannot be formally registered as war-affected internally displaced persons (IDPs).
Awatef, another displaced woman residing with relatives in Port Sudan, attested to not receiving any assistance. Despite giving birth to a baby, she visits the Red Crescent headquarters daily in search of humanitarian aid. She cannot work due to her newborn and struggles to provide enough food for the day, stating, “I have children who cry from hunger, and I live in a slum area where all the residents need help.”
The Secretary-General of the Red Crescent Society emphasized their efforts to attract more organizations to bridge the humanitarian gap.
He also highlighted that the lack of funding and international attention given to Sudan’s deteriorating humanitarian situation is closely tied to political considerations. He noted that the international community often bases its response to humanitarian crises in Sudan on political viewpoints despite the universality of human needs. He emphasized that “A human being is a human being worldwide.”
Moreover, the dispersion of Red Crescent staff members due to the country’s war has had a negative impact on their operations., he added.