As civil war rages on in Sudan, malnutrition crisis reach – WBUR

Report on the Escalating Malnutrition Crisis in Sudan and its Impact on Sustainable Development Goals

1.0 Executive Summary

International aid organizations operating in Sudan report a severe escalation in malnutrition, reaching its most critical level since the onset of the civil war over two years ago. This humanitarian crisis represents a significant setback for multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those related to hunger, health, and peace. This report synthesizes information from on-the-ground sources, including Doctors Without Borders (MSF), to outline the situation’s impact on the SDG framework.

2.0 Crisis Impact on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The ongoing conflict and resulting food crisis in Sudan directly undermine the global commitment to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The primary SDGs affected include:

• SDG 2: Zero Hunger: The widespread malnutrition crisis is a direct contravention of this goal. The inability to secure food access for the civilian population, especially in regions like Darfur, highlights a critical failure in achieving food security and improved nutrition.
• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: Acute malnutrition leads to severe health complications, increased child mortality, and long-term developmental issues, placing immense strain on already fragile health systems and preventing progress toward ensuring healthy lives for all.
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions: The civil war is the root cause of the humanitarian emergency, demonstrating how the absence of peace and justice directly leads to societal collapse and thwarts sustainable development.
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals: The crisis underscores the critical importance of international partnerships. The response from organizations like Doctors Without Borders exemplifies the multi-stakeholder cooperation required to address complex humanitarian emergencies.

3.0 Field Observations and Humanitarian Response

Myriam Laaroussi, the Emergency Coordinator in Darfur for Doctors Without Borders, provides a frontline perspective on the crisis. The operational focus of aid groups involves several key actions aimed at mitigating the impact on the population and aligning with SDG principles.

1. Assessment and Monitoring: Teams are conducting continuous assessments to gauge the scale of the malnutrition crisis, providing critical data for targeted interventions in line with SDG 2 monitoring frameworks.
2. Therapeutic Feeding and Medical Care: Direct humanitarian action includes the provision of life-saving therapeutic food and medical treatment to malnourished individuals, a core component of the emergency response to uphold SDG 3.
3. Advocacy and Awareness: Highlighting the severity of the situation on international platforms aims to mobilize a global response, reinforcing the collaborative spirit of SDG 17 to garner necessary resources and political will.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 2: Zero Hunger
   • The article’s central theme is the “malnutrition crisis” in Sudan, which directly addresses the core mission of SDG 2 to end hunger, achieve food security, and improve nutrition. The statement that the crisis is the “worst since the start of the civil war” underscores the severity of food insecurity and lack of proper nutrition in the region.
2. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
   • Malnutrition is a critical health issue that severely impacts well-being, especially in vulnerable populations. The involvement of “Doctors Without Borders,” a medical aid organization, explicitly links the crisis to the health sector. Their presence highlights the need for medical intervention to manage the health consequences of malnutrition, which aligns with SDG 3’s goal of ensuring healthy lives.
3. SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
   • The article identifies the root cause of the crisis as the ongoing “civil war” in “war-torn Sudan.” This directly connects the humanitarian issue to the absence of peace and stability. SDG 16 aims to promote peaceful societies, and the situation described in the article is a direct consequence of the failure to achieve this goal, where conflict has led to a breakdown of systems and a severe humanitarian crisis.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 2.2: End all forms of malnutrition
   • The article’s focus on a “malnutrition crisis” directly relates to this target. The goal is to end malnutrition in all its forms, and the situation in Darfur, as described by the emergency coordinator, represents a severe setback in achieving this target for the affected population.
2. Target 16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere
   • The context of a “civil war” that has been ongoing for “more than two years” in “war-torn Sudan” points directly to this target. The conflict is the primary driver of the malnutrition crisis, illustrating the devastating impact of violence on a population’s ability to survive. The humanitarian crisis is a direct consequence of the violence this target seeks to reduce.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Prevalence of Malnutrition (Implied)
   • While the article does not provide specific statistics, the statement that the “malnutrition crisis is the worst since the start of the civil war” implies a measurement or observation of the prevalence of malnutrition. This relates to official indicators like 2.2.2 (Prevalence of malnutrition (wasting and overweight)). The qualitative description suggests that this indicator’s value is critically high and worsening in the region.
2. Existence and Duration of Armed Conflict (Implied)
   • The article explicitly mentions the “civil war more than two years ago.” This points to indicators used to measure peace and violence under SDG 16, such as 16.1.2 (Conflict-related deaths per 100,000 population). The existence of an active, multi-year civil war is a clear indicator of a failure to meet Target 16.1.

Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: wbur.org