Over 15m Sudanese children out of school due to war

November 12, 2024 (PORT SUDAN) – The National Council for Child Welfare in Sudan revealed on Tuesday that more than 15 million Sudanese children are out of school due to the ongoing war in the country.

Abdelkader Al-Amin Abuh, the Secretary-General of the Council, said in a press conference at the Al-Rabwa Hotel in Port Sudan, “The Rapid Support Forces (RSF)militia has committed atrocities against children in a number of states,” noting that more than 2,500 children have been kidnapped. More than 2,500 other children are missing, while 3,000 children died while displaced.

Abuh added that the RSF have recruited more than 8,000 children to fight in their ranks.

He pointed out that children make up about 60% of Sudan’s population.

He said that the Council is working with the relevant ministries to activate social protection for children and provide a “safe haven” for them.

He added that the Council has provided a database to help achieve justice for children and provide them with services, indicating that it provides statistics on the number of children and their needs in various parts of the country.

He explained that the work also includes children without care and those with disabilities, and it is done in cooperation with local partners.

Abuh thanked the Ministry of Social Development for issuing decisions to protect children, noting that the Council has a plan to ensure food security for children in areas affected by the war.

He added that they are working with partners in “less vulnerable areas” to help children who were displaced from Khartoum and Madani.

He said that the Ministry of Finance is supporting these efforts.

He pointed out that the Council is working with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and other organizations to get children out of the centers that host them as alternative families and transfer them to safe families.

He added that there are three laws to protect children, including governance, childcare, and the activation of protection laws.

Abuh confirmed that 545 children with disabilities have been transferred for treatment and that they are in stable health, thanking the Ministry of Health for its efforts.

Regarding protection, the Secretary-General of the Council affirmed their keenness to implement laws, especially after the approval of amendments to the Child Law.

Abuh called for the establishment of a radio channel dedicated to providing specialized programs to children.