The events in the Middle East or the six-month hostilities in Sudan show how fragile peace is, Kanem told reporters.

Hostilities leave devastating consequences for the most vulnerable, particularly women of all ages.

“Everywhere in the world we see women and girls forced to face the worst of wars. And what they need is peace, peace in their homes and communities,” Kanem remarked.

The UNFPA director mentioned as an example the challenges faced in Chad as a result of displacement from neighboring nations.

“Despite being one of the poorest countries in the world, Chad now hosts over one million refugees, including about half a million who recently fled the conflict in Sudan over the past six months, mostly women and children,” she added.

That country faces a humanitarian emergency and the disproportionate impact of a climate crisis not of its own making, not to mention socio-economic and other development challenges.

As a result, many of the refugee women are victims of gender-based violence in the countries from which they fled or in the camps where they now live.

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) said Tuesday that 4.5 million people are internally displaced in Sudan, while another 1.2 million have fled to Chad, Egypt and South Sudan, as well as Ethiopia and the Central African Republic.

Nearly six million have been forcibly displaced since clashes began in April 2022.

UNHCR described this crisis as unimaginable and warned of the consequences of the recent fighting in the Darfur region with many more displacements and difficulties in accessing food, shelter, clean water or other basic necessities.

Sadly, at least four children continue to die every week in White Nile state due to a lack of medicines, staff and essential supplies, said Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres.

Pll/rgh/ebr