Amina Mohammed, the UN Deputy Secretary-General, addressed members of the Security Council on Friday, August 7th, 2026, during an informal meeting focused on safeguarding education in Sudan. She highlighted the devastating impact of the ongoing conflict on Sudan’s children, emphasizing that the war is depriving them of their education and future.

Mohammed reported that at least eight million school-aged children in Sudan remain outside the classroom, with displaced children, including those who have fled to other countries, disproportionately affected. In Darfur alone, nearly three-quarters of schools have been damaged, destroyed, or rendered non-functional since fighting began in April 2023.

She revealed that since 2024, the UN has verified over 67 attacks on schools and more than 154 instances of military use of schools across Sudan, though the actual numbers are likely higher. Mohammed described these attacks as “frontal assaults on children’s safety and their dignity,” noting that children lose access to protective environments, social development opportunities, and essential services such as school feeding programs, healthcare, and mental health support.

"Five children in every six are out of school, and parents will tell you they would rather keep their children at home than send them to a classroom, because home for them is the only place left where they can keep them safe," she said.

Despite efforts this year by the UN and partners to bring more than a million Sudanese children back into some form of learning, Mohammed stressed that it is not enough. She concluded with a call to action: “Sudan’s children have waited 1,210 days for the war to end. They should not have to wait any longer.”

Sources