Sudan War 2025: Famine and the Gendered Hunger Crisis
Author(s): Scott Douglas Jacobsen
Publication (Outlet/Website): Vocal.Media
Publication Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 2025/11/09
The war in Sudan, between the Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces, is among the world’s largest conflicts, causing over 150,000 deaths and displacing more than 14 million. Famine was declared in El Fasher and Kadugli in November 2025. Women and girls face gendered harms: UN Women estimates 11 million are food insecure and 73.7% lack minimum dietary diversity. Siege conditions in Darfur and Kordofan intensify malnutrition; women eat last or not at all. Foraging exposes them to abduction and sexual violence. With maternity care collapsing, women-led groups deliver aid. UN Women urges a ceasefire, safe corridors, and funding.
The war in Sudan is considered one of the largest conflicts in the world today. The fighting is between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces. There have been more than 150,000 deaths. It is considered the largest displacement and humanitarian crisis in the world with over 14,000,000 people fleeing their homes.
There has been extreme hunger outbreaks. Disease has been spreading. Human rights violations are significant. There are allegations of war crimes, even genocide. Women and girls become subject to gendered types of negative trends during conflict. One of the significant ones deals with access to food and so nutrition.
UN Women spoke to the gender dimensions of food insecurity in Sudan. They reported being a woman in Sudan is a strong predictor of hunger status in Sudan. UN Women reports approximately 11 million girls and women are acutely food insecure. A famine has been formally declared by the IPC in El Fasher and Kadugli as of November 2025.
73.7% of women do not meet the minimum dietary diversity. This means extremely poor diets and a risk of higher malnutrition. With intense fighting and siege conditions in El Fasher, the severe food insecurity in Darfur are noted, as well as Kordofan.
Adolescent girls and female-headed households are disproportionately harmed from malnutrition and food insecure circumstances. In crisis situations, girls and women tend to eat the least and eat last. In Sudan, many may not be eating at all. Many mothers will skip meals so the children can eat, and the adolescent girls can receive the smallest portions of food (when food is available). Therefore, famine conditions are highly life-stage dependent and gendered.
Women and girls will forage in besieged or remote areas of conflict. Unfortunately, this puts them at risk to bad actors, including being subject to abduction and sexual and gender-based violence.
Reports from El Fasher report bombardment, displacement, rape, and starvation. Civilian medical and communal infrastructure can collapse during conflict. Maternity care has declined. The last maternity hospital has been destroyed and looted. Some pregnant women allegedly give birth in the streets. There are minimal mental-health or psychosocial services available.
Many women-led organizations are a core base of humanitarian responsiveness. UN Women maintains a presence in Sudan. They work with local and women-led partners. They deliver lifesaving support. They sustain essential services. They advance the leadership of women.
UN Women has called for a halt to all violence and proposed a humanitarian ceasefire. They want to guarantee safe corridors for girls, women, and all civilians. In food assistance, given the aforementioned, they prioritize women and female-headed households.
They argue for the protection of girls and women based on upholding international human rights and humanitarian law. They urge donors to recognize and fund partners, particularly women-led organizations.
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