24/09/2026
الإتحاد النسائي السوداني SWU
The Sudanese Women’s Union
𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐇𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬: 𝐀 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐃𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈𝐭𝐬 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧
To the proud masses of the Sudanese people,
To the resilient women of Sudan,
The Sudanese Women’s Union is following with deep concern the accelerated deterioration of economic and living conditions in the country, and the resulting expansion of poverty and hunger, the collapse of purchasing power, soaring prices of food, medicine, and basic services, the depreciation of the currency, and the widespread rise of unemployment, homelessness, and displacement.
What our people are experiencing today is not merely a high cost of living crisis or a temporary price hike; rather, it is a deep and compounding economic and social crisis directly linked to the war, the destruction it has inflicted on productive sectors, markets, and infrastructure, the disruption of agriculture, trade, industry, and services, the breakdown of supply chains, and the expansion of displacement and loss of sources of income.
Recent data indicate that the Sudanese economy has suffered a sharp contraction since the outbreak of the war, alongside persistently high levels of inflation and poverty. The conflict has also led to a decline in agricultural production and rising costs for inputs and transportation, which has directly reflected on food prices and the ability of households to secure their basic needs.
The food crisis has become an essential part of the economic crisis. Latest estimates show that approximately 19.5 million people faced high levels of acute food insecurity during the period from February to May 2026, with some areas facing the risk of famine amid the ongoing conflict and restricted access to food and aid. Grain prices have also remained at exceptionally high levels.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐬 𝐈𝐬 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫-𝐍𝐞𝐮𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐥
The Women's Union believes that women bear a disproportionate share of the consequences of economic collapse and war.
Sudanese women do not face rising commodity prices alone; simultaneously, they confront the loss of income, displacement, sole responsibility for the family, shortages of food, water, and healthcare, declining educational and employment opportunities, and escalating risks of violence and exploitation.
With millions of men losing their sources of income, being displaced, or killed, a growing number of women have been forced to shoulder the responsibility of supporting their families under extremely harsh economic conditions. The United Nations points out that millions of women have become heads of their households, while more than 17 million women and girls require humanitarian assistance, with women and girls continuing to face risks of violence and exploitation during displacement and in conflict zones.
Furthermore, the collapse of public services doubles the burden placed on women. Weak health, water, and sanitation services make women and girls more vulnerable to risks, especially in female-headed households. Humanitarian data indicates that households supported by women are more vulnerable to severe water deprivation.
𝐇𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐈𝐬 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐚 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐧
The hunger experienced by our people today is neither an inevitable destiny nor a natural consequence of poverty alone.
The destruction of production, the disruption of agriculture, the looting of property and inventories, the severing of trade routes, the rising costs of inputs and transportation, the collapse of services, and widespread displacement are all factors that have contributed to producing and deepening the current crisis. The decline in agricultural production and high input costs have led to a drop in cereal production, at a time when their prices have risen significantly.
Hence, addressing the crisis cannot be limited to humanitarian aid and relief—despite their urgent necessity—but requires tackling the roots of the economic crisis, rebuilding productive sectors, and restoring livelihoods and public services.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧'𝐬 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧
The Executive Committee of the Sudanese Women's Union:
1. Expresses its full solidarity with Sudanese families facing hunger, poverty, disease, displacement, and the loss of income sources.
2. Calls for placing the livelihood crisis and food security at the absolute forefront of any response to the situation in Sudan.
3. Affirms that women must be at the heart of any economic or social policy to address the crisis, rather than being mere beneficiaries of aid programs.
4. Calls for the protection of women's sources of income, supporting women-led small businesses and agricultural and productive enterprises, and providing them with financing, inputs, and markets.
5. Demands the urgent provision of food, medicine, clean water, health, and education services, and ensuring they reach women, children, the displaced, and the most affected areas.
6. Calls for the protection of female workers and those in the informal sector from economic exploitation, and guaranteeing their rights to fair wages, safe labour, and social protection.
7. Emphasizes the necessity of providing special programs for women who have become primary breadwinners, widows, displaced women, women with disabilities, and other highly vulnerable groups.
8. Calls for the support of agricultural and livestock production, small-scale industries, and local markets as essential pillars for restoring the economy and securing food.
9. Affirms that addressing the economic collapse requires peace, an end to the war, and the restoration of civilian state institutions, as the continuation of the war means the continued destruction of production, income sources, and services.
10. Demands that women have genuine and effective participation in formulating economic and social policies, as well as in reconstruction and economic recovery processes.
𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐇𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬
Sudanese experience has proven that suffering alone is not enough to bring about change. Hunger and poverty may drive people to protest, but awareness of the causes of the crisis, citizens' rights, and the accountability of institutions and policies is what transforms individual suffering into a public issue and societal consciousness capable of demanding change.
Therefore, the Women's Union calls for raising the level of economic awareness among women and the masses, understanding the nature and causes of the crisis, and resisting the use of hunger and poverty as a tool to subjugate citizens or exploit their needs.
A people conscious of their rights will not accept poverty as a destiny, hunger as a means of control, or war as a permanent way of life.
We stand at a moment that requires solidarity, organization, awareness, collective action, and placing the needs and dignity of the human being in Sudan at the top of all priorities.
Together for the right to food, medicine, work, education, health, and safe housing.
Together for a productive and fair economy that places humanity—and women in particular—at the centre of development.
Together for peace, democracy, and social justice.
Executive Committee
Sudanese Women’s Union
Tuesday, September 22, 2026
