Hundreds of thousands of Sudanese refugees in Chad are struggling to access basic necessities after a UN-led response plan received only 30% of its required funding for 2024, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) reported on Wednesday.
Since war erupted in Sudan in April 2023, over 720,000 Sudanese refugees and 220,000 returning Chadians have fled to Chad, adding to what NRC Country Director Dermot Hegarty described as “the world’s largest humanitarian crisis.”
Aid groups warn that most refugees lack essential food, protection, and education support, with women and children making up 90% of those displaced. Many have endured severe violence, including torture and sexual abuse.
Despite the urgent need for child protection, mental health services, and gender-based violence support, NRC officials say the severe funding gap is forcing humanitarian agencies to prioritize only the most basic survival aid.