Most of the victims of Sudan’s worsening hunger are women and children.

At least 46 people have died from malnutrition in Sudan’s South Kordofan state over the past two months, according to Sudan’s Doctors Network on August 23. Most of the victims were women and children, the network revealed, highlighting the vulnerability of families caught in the conflict.

The group also reported that more than 19,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women urgently need supplementary nutrition.

Doctors and aid workers warn that the lack of food and medicine is hitting women and children the hardest. Malnutrition is leaving newborns underweight and weakening mothers who lack adequate nourishment.

Sudan’s Doctors Network condemned the deliberate use of starvation as a military tactic, calling it “a crime against humanity and a war crime under international law.”

It accused the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of imposing a siege on civilians in South Kordofan, particularly in the cities of Kadugli and Dalanj, where access to food and medicine is restricted.

The network urged local and international organizations, including the World Health Organization, to immediately intervene. It called for safe humanitarian corridors to be opened to allow the unrestricted delivery of food and medical supplies.

Broader impact of Sudan conflict 

The conflict in Sudan, which began in April 2023 between the Sudanese army and the RSF, has devastated the country. Official UN figures estimate over 20,000 deaths and the displacement of more than 14 million people.

Independent research, however, suggests the toll may be far higher, up to 130,000 deaths, with famine in Sudan worsening due to sieges, displacement, and collapsing infrastructure. The UN cautions that 3.2 million children under five will suffer acute malnutrition in the upcoming year.

The World Food Programme notes that the conflict has “created the world’s largest hunger crisis,” citing that roughly 25 million people face acute hunger.