Emergency response centers are implementing new strategies to quickly aid the millions of people affected by the conflict in Sudan.

A group of medical professionals, engineers, and emergency specialists who are volunteering their services are working to meet the needs of civilians during the ongoing violence and insecurity caused by conflicts with opposing military groups in April 2023.

Up to now, ERRs have impacted over four million civilians by overcoming bureaucratic obstacles and devising creative strategies.

Three young volunteers were interviewed by UN News after they visited the UN Headquarters in New York to participate in meetings with humanitarian officials and actors.

The objective is straightforward: provide assistance to those at risk of death, hunger, illness, and limited access to clean water, electricity, and communication.

Needs are great

“They stated that the demands are significant. The ongoing dispute has resulted in the withdrawal of humanitarian organizations, breakdown of government institutions, and disruption of essential services in many areas of the country, along with a rise in civilian casualties and a mass exodus of people.”

Over 7.4 million individuals have been displaced from their residences in Sudan, both domestically and internationally, due to safety concerns.

ERRs serve as a “local emergency government” in various states throughout the country.

Following the onset of war in Sudan, there was a need for expanded youth-led emergency response rooms to take over for the departing international humanitarian organizations.

‘Filling a vacuum’

Following the onset of conflict, Hanin Ahmed, a youth from Sudan who holds a master’s degree in gender studies with a focus on peace and conflict, partnered with her colleague to establish an emergency center in the Omdurman region.

She and her co-workers went to the United Nations Headquarters to bring attention to the situation in Sudan, which she believes is not getting enough recognition despite the dire conditions on the ground.

She stated to UN News that our bond is through doing charitable work and the responsibility to address the aftermath of war and assist individuals.

According to Ms. Ahmed, the emergency rooms help to fill the void created by the departure of international humanitarian organizations.

According to her, every project has significant involvement from young individuals with varying political beliefs. She also mentioned a few accomplishments, such as helping survivors of sexual assault and creating routes to safety.

“Using our youth networks and personal connections, we successfully established safe routes to rescue citizens from areas facing attacks and bring them to designated shelters,” stated Ms. Ahmed.

“We take great pride in that.”

“We are confronted with theft and vulnerability,” she stated. “Youth are specifically targeted, detained, and even killed while laboring in extremely challenging circumstances.”

A straightforward, functional framework that avoids bureaucracy.

Muhammad Al-Ebaid, the head of the reporting committee in Khartoum state, stated that the initiative utilized extensive youth networks formed after the December Revolution in 2018 to address the COVID-19 crisis.

Young people are leading the efforts to respond to emergencies and assist communities affected by war.

The efforts increased following the outbreak of war in April.

“We have endeavored to establish an uncomplicated and efficient framework for completing tasks, free from red tape,” he stated. “To date, we have successfully delivered food, electricity, water, and protection to approximately four million individuals in Darfur and Khartoum.”

When a need arises, ERRs respond by taking action. Volunteers are responsible for carrying out maintenance operations to address unstable electricity services.

In the midst of increasing violence, emergency medical facilities have successfully evacuated approximately 12,000 individuals. This includes over 800 people from the Al-Fitaihab region in Omdurman in December, according to Mr. Al-Ebaid.

© UNICEF/Tariq Khalil

In the central region of Darfur, individuals who are female or under the age of 18 wait in line to receive uncontaminated and secure drinking water in the town of Zalingei.

“A local government in a state of emergency”

AbuZar Othman, the coordinator of emergency rooms in Darfur, stated that these efforts are equivalent to establishing a “local emergency government”. This government aims to offer ongoing humanitarian aid, led by Sudanese individuals, with the goal of promoting solidarity and maintaining our social structure and dignity while addressing our necessities.

Hanin Ahmed and Muhammad Al-Ebaid are employed in emergency response units in Sudan.

Noting the significant pain endured by individuals in Darfur as a result of ongoing armed conflicts since 2003, the speaker stated that attacks on civilians have escalated to the point of being labeled as acts of genocide and ethnic cleansing. This has created a multifaceted humanitarian, economic, and social situation.

Amidst the ongoing war and various obstacles, he stated that creating emergency facilities in four states is a crucial measure in addressing the urgent needs of the public.

According to Mr. Othman, the difficulties are extensive, ranging from the proliferation of weapons to ethnic conflicts. These challenges also involve finding solutions to ongoing issues in the agriculture and grazing industries, disruptions in communication systems, and inadequate access to healthcare.

Finding innovative solutions

At the United Nations Headquarters, the trio of volunteers urged the global community to acknowledge emergency rooms as a key player in the realm of humanitarian aid and offer assistance to them.

Ms. Ahmed stated that they are working towards adjusting to various challenges and devising creative solutions for them. However, she emphasized the need for further development and a robust system that can effectively address these challenges.

“We, as emergency room workers, are unable to meet all the demands in areas of conflict. Therefore, we call upon the international community and organizations to bring attention to the situation in Sudan and exert pressure to stop the violence, safeguard civilians, and offer more assistance to those impacted by the war.”

Source: news.un.org