Severe conflict in Sudan, erupting in 2023, has displaced millions of Sudanese in the past year. Reports from the International Rescue Committee indicate that the recent conflict displaced a total of 12 million people in Sudan, with 10 million of those remaining in the country. With only 2 million of the total 12 million displaced externally, the situation in Sudan represents one of the largest internal displacements in the world. Humanitarian crises such as the situation in Sudan require special consideration for groups like women and children who are more vulnerable. Maternal and infant mortality rates in Sudan have grown and become increasingly concerning as trends continue to stagnate or even decline. Promoting and supporting mothers and children in developing countries like Sudan is the central goal of the Mother and Child Cash Transfer Plus Program.

Maternal and Infant Mortality Rates in Sudan

The United Nations (U.N.) Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), a set of priorities for progressive global development by 2030, identifies maternal and infant mortality under SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being. The goal set forth by the U.N. states that by the year 2030, the global maternal mortality ratio will be less than 70 for every 100,000 live births.

A 2020 study by the World Health Organization revealed that the maternal mortality ratio in Sudan is 270.40 for every 100,000 births, highlighting a serious concern for the country. Considerable obstacles hinder progress in achieving this SDG target. The stagnating trends over the past five years also indicate major challenges in promoting good health and well-being. These rates reflect a lack of proper health care, sanitation and clean water in Sudan, necessitating a multifaceted approach to achieve progress.

The infant mortality rate in Sudan, as an indicator of SDG 3, is the probability, per 1,000 live births, that a newborn baby will live past the age of 5 and stands at 51.56 per 1,000 live births, according to the 2022 study by the U.N. Interagency Group for Child Mortality Estimation. Similar to its maternal mortality rate, Sudan has major challenges left concerning these rates with the long-term objective for this indicator being 2.6 out of every 1,000 live births. In contrast to maternal mortality rates, infant mortality rates have been steadily decreasing since the year 2000 providing hope for Sudan’s future.

The Mother and Child Cash Transfers Plus

The Ministry of Social Development, along with UNICEF and its partners invest in and value the importance of the first 1,000 days of a human life. The first 1,000 days of life hold invaluable periods of neurodevelopment, health and opportunity making the protection of this time critical. In April of 2021, under the consideration of the first 1,000 days of life, the Commission on Social Safety and Poverty Reduction under the Ministry of Social Development created the Mother and Child Cash Transfer Plus (MCCT+) program to support and empower women and children in developing countries.

The MCCT+ program first launched in eastern Sudan, targeting areas with the highest levels of malnutrition and the greatest need for aid. In Sudan, the flagship program actively supports those in need with cash transfers, sharing important information and the overall care of women and children. The program has supported 50,000 pregnant women in just the first phase of the program.

UNICEF shares the story of Mahasin Mohamed Al-Rayih, a 26-year-old mother in Sudan who founded the MCCT+ program before the delivery of her firstborn child. Mahasin expressed that the program center aided her in creating a delivery plan for her upcoming birth and provided her with the funds to purchase necessities for lactation and raising her newborn child. 

During the first year of the program, 50,000 pregnant women, like Mahasin Mohamed Al-Rayih were helped through the Mother and Child Cash Transfer Plus program and another 13,000 recipients received cash entitlements. These numbers continue to climb exponentially as the program expands across Sudan and provides the much-needed support and resources for women and their children to have the greatest chances of success and survival.

Hope For the Future

Despite the current displacement crisis and the subsequent maternal and infant mortality rates in Sudan, programs and initiatives like the Mother and Child Cash Transfer Plus program prove that there are tangible strategies to support and empower women, mothers and children in meaningful and proactive ways.

– Juliana Granville

Juliana is based in Brooklyn, NY, USA and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr