Sudan women face triple food insecurity risk

Women-led households in Sudan face three times the risk of severe food insecurity compared to families headed by men as the country’s humanitarian crisis worsens, the UN Women said in a statement. A new report shows 75% of female-headed households can’t meet basic food needs, while severe food insecurity has nearly doubled in one year. Only 1.9% of women-led families are food secure compared to 5.9% of male-headed households.

The crisis hits women harder because of deep-rooted inequalities made worse by ongoing conflict and displacement. More women are becoming household heads after male relatives die or disappear in the fighting. They face the biggest barriers to getting food, earning income, and accessing aid when they need it most.

Conditions have reached near-famine levels in several regions, creating what UN Women calls a “gender emergency.” The report found 73% of women nationally don’t get enough variety in their diets, putting mothers and children at serious health risk.

“Women and girls are bearing the brunt of severe food insecurity, with fewer resources, less access to aid, and greater exposure to risk,” said UN Women Representative Salvator Nkurunziza.

Women’s groups across Sudan are running food kitchens and helping displaced families despite getting little funding. One organization working in eight states had to close more than half its kitchens because it ran out of money. These groups reach remote communities that bigger aid agencies often can’t access.

United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) is calling for urgent action to prioritize female-headed households in food assistance and give women’s organizations direct funding with a voice in decision-making. The agency wants food aid linked to protection services and programs that help women earn money while demanding an immediate end to fighting.