January 9, 2026 – Today marks a dark milestone of 1,000 days of conflict in Sudan. This devastating war has resulted in one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises, with over 30.4 million people, nearly two-thirds of the population, in urgent need of assistance.
Communities are under siege and civilians are being starved. Gender-based violence, including conflict-related sexual violence, is rampant, contributing to what has been described as a war on women and girls. Millions of people have been displaced, and struggle to access healthcare, shelter, food, hygiene kits, or any of the basic items they need to live in dignity. Access to protection services is severely limited.
The scale of the crisis was captured by Nada, a woman who fled her hometown of Al Jazirah more than two years ago and remains displaced in Port Sudan: “I am just one of millions whose life was shattered. I lost everything. We need support to restore our lives, so we can live again. We cannot continue like this. This will kill us one day – and soon. I am afraid every day. Being shot at or hearing explosions does not frighten me as much. What scares me is this slow death of everyday life.”
Women and girls bear the brunt of this crisis, facing hunger, violence, and displacement. Yet, they are the forefront of humanitarian efforts through women-led organisations and emergency response rooms. At the same time, sharp cuts in humanitarian aid have crippled the response. Women-led initiatives, critical for GBV prevention and response services, received less than 2% of resources from the Sudan Humanitarian Fund in 2025.
“Sadly, funding cuts forced us to scale back operations. We have lost nearly 80% of our resources,” says Nadia Eltoum, Executive Director of Almanar, an organisation that partners with CARE. “This leaves communities frustrated and underserved, and children with moderate malnutrition are worsening into severe cases due to lack of support.”
Abdirahman Ali, Country Director for CARE International in Sudan, outlined the significance of today’s sombre date, saying: “One thousand days into this conflict, Sudanese families continue to pay the price of this war, meanwhile the world watches on with delay and inaction. The warnings were clear, the data undeniable, and communities have made their needs very clear countless times. Women and girls endure unimaginable suffering, yet decisive action to protect them has failed to come. The situation in Sudan demands urgent protection of civilians, safe humanitarian access, and a lasting commitment to end the violence. Every day that passes, more families are uprooted, and more women and girls face brutal violence. At this 1,000-day mark, our message is simple: the needs are known, the solutions are clear. Real progress must break the trap of inaction. Statements of concern alone do not save lives.”
All governments and influential stakeholders, including the parties to conflict, must act now to:
- Scale up diplomatic efforts, including through the UN Security Council, to secure an immediate and lasting nationwide ceasefire.
Uphold international humanitarian law, including the obligations to protect civilians, humanitarian workers, and civilian and humanitarian infrastructure. - Bring an immediate end to violations against civilians and refrain from the use of sexual violence or starvation as weapons of war.
- Ensure rapid, safe, sustained humanitarian access, especially to besieged areas, including sustained and safe cross-border access to deliver principled assistance to all who need it.
- Support a regional response, including to Sudanese refugees in neighbouring countries.
- Increase funding to best placed actors, prioritising local aid groups and women-led organisations, to respond to and prevent famine and deliver lifesaving assistance, including protection and survivor centred GBV prevention and response.
The people of Sudan must not be abandoned.
For media inquiries, please email usa.media@care.org or contact Kelly Muthusi, CARE East and Central Africa, Regional Communications Associate, Kelly.Muthusi@care.org