Fatshimetrie: The humanitarian challenges of Sudanese refugees in Chad
The humanitarian crisis in Chad due to the massive influx of Sudanese refugees is proving to be one of the most pressing challenges of our time. Since the start of the civil conflict in Sudan, hundreds of thousands of people have fled to Chad in search of safety and shelter, facing extremely precarious living conditions. The numbers speak for themselves: more than one million Sudanese are now living in refugee camps in Chad, a number never seen before.
Among these refugees, nearly 90% are women and children, vulnerable and traumatized by the violence they had to endure to flee their home country. The harrowing testimonies of these survivors describe scenes of horror, kidnapping, torture, and tragic loss. Pregnant women are forced to give birth in precarious conditions, without access to adequate medical care, putting their lives and that of their child at risk.
In refugee camps such as Farchana, the situation is critical. The lack of sufficient health structures, basic services and qualified personnel makes it extremely difficult to care for refugees. Humanitarian organizations present on the ground face major challenges in meeting the essential needs of the refugee population, particularly in terms of maternal health, protection of women from sexual violence, and psychological support for trauma survivors.
Unfortunately, the funding allocated to humanitarian organizations is insufficient to address the scale of the crisis. UNFPA’s funding, for example, falls far short of the urgent needs of women and girls living in refugee camps. The consequences of these gaps are limited access to essential health care, psychosocial support, and protection from gender-based violence.
In the face of this major humanitarian crisis, it is imperative that the international community strengthen its support for Chad and the humanitarian organizations working on the ground. Sudanese refugees deserve to be protected, supported, and accompanied in their reconstruction journey, far from the violence that marked their past. It is time to act decisively to offer a better future to these populations in distress, by giving them the means to rebuild and reestablish themselves in dignity and peace.