Like Palestine, Sudan has made headlines in the media for the ongoing violence its people have experienced since April 15, 2023. 2 A civil war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has cost hundreds of thousands of lives, perhaps over 150,000, although the count is still unclear. 4 Famine and hunger mark the territory, with 14 million people being displaced from their homes. The most sensitive to the irreparable effects are children and women, who have suffered violence (sexual violence regarding females), disease and lack of access to necessities such as clean water, food, and aid, which all have been destroyed by the RSF.
The RSF is responsible for the deaths and mass starvation, and displacement in Sudan and the UAE has been funding its protocol. Severe acute malnutrition has reached terrifying depths, where it has increased in children by 46 per cent across Darfur. 3 It doesn’t help that food insecurity and poverty are prevalent in the country due to political instability and economic collapse.
In an endless fight for democracy, a military-civilian government was overthrown by a coup that included the leader of SAF, Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and RSF Gen Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo in October 2021. 6 These two had conflicting visions for the country, leading to the war between the two forces that targeted non-arab ethnic groups. On October 26, nearly 1,500 were killed by RSF forces in ethnically targeted massacres, according to survivor accounts and satellite images. 1
G7 ministers in the UN have, as of November 12th, 2025, demanded a ceasefire and for a deal to be settled amongst the RSF and SAF. Fragile improvements are not enough to mitigate the harm done to civilians. Overcrowded camps and depleted resources are toppled by an influx of displaced people, who are seeking to find humanitarian relief, struggling to barely survive. 5 The death toll keeps increasing, and the fight is not even close to being over. Helping families and individuals with donations can prevent sleeping on an empty stomach.
But how can you support? – Advocating for the cause
Every day, I scroll on TikTok to find yet another heartbreaking story, which some people still scroll past, apathetic to different situations for instant gratification. But it’s easy to find more and more excuses to ignore the crisis, not realizing that it continues to benefit the oppressors. Action is necessary now.
- Donating to humanitarian organizations, such as the International Rescue Committee 7, should be at the top of your list. This can deliver supplies and resources for aid, food and clean water across the country for millions of people
- Donate to GoFundMes that support the affected people and spread awareness on social media platforms.
- Be mindful of consuming products from the UAE that have been made using natural resources from Sudan, and organize conversations about these issues with others.