Khartoum -  (Press Release) His Excellency Shinji Urabayashi, Ambassador of Japan to Sudan and Abdullah Fadil, UNICEF Sudan Representative, today officially launched the “Integrated Response to Conflict Affected Children (Internally Displaced, Refugee and Host Community) in Sudan’s Darfur (North, Central, South) and South Kordofan states.” one-year project.
Thanks to the generous two million US dollar contribution from the Government of Japan, the new project will allow UNICEF to support the most vulnerable children and women affected by emergency situations in the Darfurs (Jebel Marra) and in South Kordofan state. The aim of the project is to enhance child survival and protection through the delivery of an integrated package of life-saving basic services that contribute to fostering social cohesion between internally displaced persons, refugees and vulnerable communities in these areas.
A few of these key interventions will include improving immunisation of children and pregnant women against vaccine preventable diseases, while also improving safe and clean child birth, identification and treatment of severe acute malnutrition and provision of WASH facilities. Access to quality education is also a vital component of the partnership. The project targets over 128,577 children under two years of age with health interventions, 10,000 school-aged children, 6,343 mothers/caregivers and 30,253 pregnant women.
“I would like to thank the Government and the people of Japan for this generous contribution for the emergency-affected children and communities in Sudan,” says UNICEF Sudan Representative, Abdullah Fadil. “UNICEF is thankful for Japan’s continued support to our work in Sudan, to realize children’s rights, especially those from conflict affected areas”.
UNICEF launched its latest Humanitarian Action for Children-appeal in January 2018 to respond to life-saving needs across Sudan. According to the 2018 Humanitarian Response Plan for Sudan, an estimated 5.5 million people are in dire need of humanitarian assistance, including 2.6 million children. The UNICEF 2018 appeal amounts to USD 96 million and was as of end of March, 19 per cent funded i.e. with a concerning 81 per cent funding gap.
Without adequate, timely and flexible funding, UNICEF is unable to provide life-saving support, respond to the continuous nutrition crisis or reach the most vulnerable children with critical health and water, sanitation and hygiene services. Basic supplies for primary education are also urgently needed.
“Japan supports UNICEF Sudan in its efforts for creating a better, more fulfilling future for Sudan’s young generation.”, says H.E. Mr. Shinji Urabayashi, Ambassador of Japan to Sudan. “We believe that enabling children will strengthen their resilience and will contribute to achieving a more developed and peaceful future for Sudan.”
With the new funding, UNICEF will work in close partnership with the relevant line ministries of the Government of Sudan, as well as with international and national Non-Governmental Organizations, to deliver sustainable results through an integrated approach including child protection, education, health, nutrition and water, sanitation and hygiene, to holistically address the needs of the most vulnerable and conflict-affected children.
UNICEF first started operations in Sudan in 1952.  The current 2018-2021 Country Programme, is UNICEF’s 7th Country Programme of Cooperation with the Sudanese Government. UNICEF For the 2018-2021 Country Programme, UNICEF will contribute to national efforts to enable all children and adolescents in Sudan, especially those in the most vulnerable situations, to have their rights progressively fulfilled and to develop to their full potential in an inclusive and protective environment. The country programme will essentially focus on five components: a) Child Survival and Development; b) Education and Learning, c) Child Protection, d) Policy, Evidence and Social Protection, and e) Programme Effectiveness.