Alarming Rise in Solo Children Crossing Chad Border to Escape Sudan Conflict

A growing number of unaccompanied children are making a perilous journey across the border from Sudan into Chad as violence tears families apart and forces minors to seek safety without their parents. Aid agencies have expressed deep concern as “more and more” children arrive alone in Chad, which has already welcomed over 100,000 refugees, with nearly 60% of them under the age of 18, since clashes erupted between rival military factions in mid-April.

While the initial wave of refugees was relatively organized, comprising those who had preemptively left Sudan before the conflict reached their villages and had time to prepare, recent arrivals have often fled in haste due to escalating fighting, according to Jacques Boyer, the Chad Country Director for the UN Children’s Fund (Unicef). Boyer stated that unaccompanied or separated children were not initially prevalent, as families moved together, but this has changed over the past three weeks as more children are escaping the violence and airstrikes.

Although 267 unaccompanied children have been identified so far, this number is likely an underestimate. Boyer emphasized that there are probably many more unaccompanied children in need. He shared the story of a 14-year-old boy from Darfur who became separated from his parents when their village was attacked by unidentified armed assailants. The boy and his neighbors fled together, crossing the border into Chad while his parents remained missing.

Once a lone child is identified, relief workers on the ground attempt to locate their families, but this task poses significant challenges. The Chad-Sudan border spans over 1,000 kilometers, making it difficult to determine the whereabouts of parents who may not be far from their separated child but are among the tens of thousands of refugees who have successfully crossed the border. Furthermore, the limited phone network complicates the reunification process.

Reuniting families becomes more feasible if they are in official refugee camps and registered in the system, but if parents are in host communities, the process takes longer. Unaccompanied minors are among the most vulnerable in any humanitarian crisis, facing risks such as child labor and sexual exploitation. To mitigate these dangers, UN workers strive to keep them in the company of familiar adults in a supportive family-like environment. Unicef, in collaboration with the Chadian Red Cross, is establishing “child-friendly spaces” where children can receive psychological support to address the severe trauma they have experienced.

In addition to concerns about unaccompanied children, humanitarian workers are grappling with other pressing issues affecting the tens of thousands of young people fleeing Sudan. Outbreaks of measles have been identified among child refugees, and over 350 cases of severe acute malnutrition have been diagnosed, likely underestimating the true extent of the problem.

The impending rainy season further compounds the challenges faced by relief workers, as it has already commenced in some areas, hindering access to the refugees. According to Jean-Marie Bihizi, the Country Manager for Chad at Catholic Relief Services (CRS), relief teams attempting to assess the refugees’ needs and provide essential items like food, mosquito nets, plastic sheeting, and water-purification tablets were unable to reach the site in the Sila region of south-eastern Chad due to flooding, forcing them to turn back.

The situation remains critical as aid agencies work tirelessly to address the immediate needs and safeguard the well-being of the vulnerable children and refugees affected by the Sudan conflict.