Sudan’s war, which began in April 2023, is putting millions of children at risk as the conflict exposes them to forced recruitment and keeps them away from school.
The Sudanese National Human Rights Observatory has released photographs and video footage it says show children being recruited into the Sudanese army and allied brigades. Among the groups identified was the al-Bara bin Malik Brigade, which the Observatory described as the military arm of the Muslim Brotherhood.
The Observatory alleged that children recruited by the army and its allied brigades had been deployed in combat operations, describing the practice as a serious violation of children’s rights and international humanitarian law.
It called for an independent and comprehensive investigation into the alleged recruitment of children, as well as urgent accountability to stop the practice.
Videos showing minors wearing military uniforms have also circulated on social media, raising concerns over the involvement of children in the conflict.
The allegations come amid wider reports of violations against civilians. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has confirmed reports of field executions, while the US State Department has said chemical weapons were used on at least two occasions during the conflict.
The African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies has also reported continued abuses against civilians, including the abduction and forced recruitment of children. The organisation warned that the trend could worsen the humanitarian situation and deprive children of their childhood.
Millions of Children Out of School
While some children are being drawn into the fighting, millions more are being denied access to education.
The Geneva Global Centre for Education in Emergencies reported that 19 million students were out of school during the 2024–2025 academic year.
UNICEF said 17 million Sudanese children are unable to attend school. Of these, 7.9 million live near schools that have reopened but remain absent because of fears of attacks, forced recruitment and continued insecurity.
PM News reported that insecurity has left families with limited options, with some parents keeping their children at home even when schools attempt to reopen.
ReliefWeb reported that the conflict had kept children out of school for more than 500 days, making Sudan’s education disruption one of the longest-running school crises in the world.
Save the Children has also warned that approximately 17 million children are unable to access basic education because of the conflict.
In Khartoum, many school buildings have reportedly been repurposed. Some schools remain closed or are being used as military sites, while displaced families have occupied others as shelters.
The prolonged closures are raising fears that millions of children could fail to complete their education, with long-term consequences for literacy, employment and national stability.
A Generation at Risk
Humanitarian organisations have described Sudan as facing one of the world’s worst education crises. Schools provide children with education, protection, meals and psychosocial support. Their closure can increase the risks of exploitation, child labour, early marriage and recruitment into armed groups.
Rights organisations are calling for schools to be demilitarised, commanders responsible for child recruitment to be held accountable, and safe corridors to be established for humanitarian aid and teachers.
As the war continues, millions of Sudanese children face displacement, insecurity and uncertainty instead of classrooms and examinations.
Without urgent action to end child recruitment and restore education, Sudan risks leaving an entire generation with lasting consequences from a conflict they did not start.
