Despite generous support from our donors, 50 per cent of UNICEF’s response remained unfunded in 2025. Urgent additional support is needed in 2026 to sustain and scale lifesaving services for the most vulnerable children.
In 2025, the MENA region faced overlapping crises including conflict, displacement, economic collapse, disease outbreaks, and climate shocks, placing children at risk and disrupting access to services.
The Sudan crisis has become the world’s largest displacement and protection emergency. Since April 2023, some 14 million people have been forced to flee their homes, of whom nearly 12 million remain displaced —7.3 million within Sudan and over 4.2 million across borders into the Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, Libya, South Sudan, and Uganda
In September, the security situation in Darfur and Kordofan States remained highly volatile and unpredictable, marked by intensified military confrontations, drone strikes, aerial bombardments and increasing intercommunal tension, leading to widespread insecurity, civilian displacement and growing humanitarian needs.
Since the outbreak of armed conflict in Sudan on 15 April 2023, Africa Region faced a large-scale humanitarian crisis marked by one of the most significant displacement movements in recent years. Millions of people fled the violence, crossing into Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, South Sudan, and Uganda.
The Sudan crisis has triggered the largest displacement and protection emergency in the world today. Over 14 million people have been forced to flee since April 2023, with 12 million remaining displaced, including over 3.2 million refugees and asylum-seekers who have crossed borders into the Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, Libya, South Sudan, and Uganda as of mid-2025.
Despite urgent needs, 62 per cent of UNICEF’s response remains unfunded. Without timely support, the most vulnerable children risk missing access to critical, lifesaving services.
According to a statement by the UN Spokesperson, and the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, civilians remain cut off without access to food and clean water, and public health is deteriorating amid outbreaks of diseases like cholera.
There are now 12.0 million forcibly displaced due to the outbreak of conflict in Sudan since April 2023, including 7.7 million internally and 4.1 million in neighbouring countries.
Latest data from IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) shows a 13% drop in the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Sudan since January 2025, now standing at 10.1 million.
There are now 12.0 million forcibly displaced due to the outbreak of conflict in Sudan since April 2023, including 7.7 million internally and 4.1 million in neighbouring countries.
Yemen remains one of the world’s most acute and complex humanitarian crises. In 2025, protracted conflict, economic decline, and extreme weather driven by climate change have left more than 19.5 million people in need of humanitarian assistance.
Due to the worsening humanitarian crisis in Sudan with more than 124 million forcibly displaced, out of which 3.4 million fled into neighbouring countries, the Federation-wide Emergency Appeal was revised, increasing the total funding ask from the initial CHF 42 million to CHF 47.5 million and extending the operation end date to December 2025.
Since October 7, 2023, hostilities in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank have escalated to unprecedented levels, resulting in immense humanitarian needs in the occupied Palestinian territories (oPt).
Lebanon stands at a crossroads. The cessation of hostilities has allowed nearly 829,000 displaced people to return to their cadasters of origin as of 18 December, but for many, the journey back does not meet the minimum requirements for a secure and sustainable return.
UNHCR is engaging with thousands of refugees in neighboring countries, often with daily contact through helplines, surveys, focus group discussions, and other communications channels, listening to their concerns, providing up-to-date information, and understanding their perceptions and intentions around return.
Over the past 14 months, more than 44,000 Palestinians — mostly women and children — have been killed in Gaza. Nearly all of Gaza’s residents have been displaced — many multiple times.
This report is produced by OCHA Lebanon in collaboration with humanitarian partners and the Inter Sector Coordination Group. It covers the period from 6 – 12 December 2024.
