Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of children in Sudan who are (1) affected by malnutrition, and (2) no longer in education, due to the war.

The conflict in Sudan is having a devastating impact on children. In 2024, admissions for severe acute malnutrition (SAM) rose by nearly 44% compared to 2023 with an unprecedented 431,000 children treated by the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF). Actual numbers of SAM are likely to be higher, but access constraints and insecurity complicate the ability of relief organisations to assess needs and deliver aid. In late 2024 UNICEF assessed that nearly 90% of Sudan's school age children (17 million against a population of 19 million) were no longer in school with armed violence a key driver. Both malnutrition rates and the number of children out of education will continue to rise whilst the fighting continues.

This financial year (2024-2025), the UK will provide £226.5 million in life-saving aid towards the crisis. As part of this, we support UNICEF who are providing lifesaving nutrition programmes to some of the most vulnerable children in Sudan. The UK also supports Education Cannot Wait, providing safe learning spaces and psychological support to 200,000 vulnerable children in refugee and host communities in Chad, Ethiopia, Libya, South Sudan, Central Africa Republic and Uganda. We are also one of the largest donors to the Global Partnership for Education who are delivering urgent support to children across Sudan.