UNICEF executive director Catherine Russell said what is happening in South Sudan is currently the "largest humanitarian crisis" the organization is seeing. "The challenges are absolutely staggering," she added.

Juba

UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell has identified Sudan as the largest humanitarian crisis currently facing the organization, with millions displaced, widespread hunger, and severe violence, including atrocities against women and children. Russell emphasized the urgent need for increased humanitarian access and global attention, noting that children consistently express a desire for peace and a return to normalcy.

Russell also addressed the impact of recent funding cuts from major donors, including the United States, which has historically been UNICEF's largest supporter. She highlighted that these reductions are affecting not only UNICEF but the broader humanitarian sector, making it more challenging to meet the growing needs in crisis regions such as Sudan, South Sudan, and Gaza.

UNICEF chief calls South Sudan "largest humanitarian crisis"

UNICEF warns that more than 200 million children will require humanitarian assistance in the coming year. The largest crisis right now is Sudan. Catherine Russell, UNICEF's executive director, is just back from Sudan and South Sudan. Good morning to you. Good morning, Margaret. How are you? I'm well, but we want to draw attention here to those in need. And I know Secretary of State Marco Rubio, just on Friday, called for a cessation of hostilities. He said the U.S. is pushing for humanitarian troops to allow some of these aid organizations to operate, but aid convoys have been struck on their way in, he also acknowledged. What kind of challenges are you facing? Well, Sudan is, at this moment, the largest humanitarian crisis we're facing. And there are many things happening there. One is that children in particular, but people are on the move. Millions of people are moving around the country. We have hunger, extreme hunger, including famine, decimated in certain parts of the country. We're also seeing just horrific levels of violence, including rape, including against children. UNICEF did a report about that about a year ago, even children under the age of one. I mean, absolutely terrible stories. And a woman I met in Chad who had fled Darfur told me about the effort to sort of rape women in front of their families and their communities, really trying to terrorize them, and videotaping it to humiliate them. And so the levels of violence are horrific. We have children out of school. So, the bottom line here is that the needs are enormous. The challenges are just absolutely staggering. And I think the world needs to come together. In the short term, for sure, we need better humanitarian access. We need to reach all of these communities. That's hard to do right now. But the truth is, Margaret, that what I heard from children across Sudan was the same thing, which is, I would say to them, what do you think about, what do you want? And they all said the same thing, which is, we want peace. I think they understand that the only answer here really is to solve the political problems, so that people can get back to some sort of a decent life. Well, I just, I don't want to let go what you just mentioned in terms of why something like that would be done to children and to women in front of their families. The term genocide is used in Sudan. What you were describing there in terms of treatment of gender-based violence, it sounds like you are saying that is an attempt to destroy a society by carrying out rape. I mean, there are definitely atrocities that are intended to terrorize communities, to force them to move, to scare them. And, you know, they're effective strategies for sure. And I think, you know, the world needs to take a look. I mean, Sudan, I know it seems so far away, and it is in many ways, but it is also a place where children are suffering so enormously. And I think especially, you know, now we're in the holiday season, you know, you want to think about, you know, people being with their families and all the rest of it. I mean, children in so many places are not having those sort of luxuries. They are really suffering. And I think the world needs to pay attention to that. And I commend, you know, Senator Rubio, Secretary Rubio now for pointing this out, because I think the key thing here is that we need attention to the problem. Well, the U.S. has historically been the largest donor to UNICEF, but we've seen tremendous cuts by this administration, including a $142 million clawback of congressionally approved funds. Secretary Rubio said no one died from these aid cuts. And on Friday, he said he's very proud of the changes that were made in foreign aid. Tell us what the reality is of the funding cuts. You know, the funding cuts are challenging. And I think the issue to understand is it's not just the United States. It's almost every donor to, certainly to UNICEF, but to the U.N. system broadly and to the humanitarian sector. And so when you add all of those together, the impacts are really dramatic, because it means that, you know, what financial support we do get, we have to spread now over more places and with less support from donor countries. So I think, you know, there are certainly, you know, there have been and will probably always be catastrophes that we're trying to deal with, and children are suffering. The United States has always proudly led, I think, on humanitarian response and on helping children. And, you know, we're hopeful that some of the money that has been taken back will be restored to us. We continue to work with the State Department. There are efforts to fund a lot of the humanitarian and sort of lifesaving work that we do. But really, you know, the needs around the world are just absolutely enormous. And it's the United States and other donors who have to come in behind that, along with the private sector, I have to add. That is also important. And I should point out that the U.S. is one of the largest foreign aid donors to South Sudan, but that foreign aid is also under threat at this moment because of the government not complying with what the U.S. is demanding. South Sudan is a challenge. I was just there too, and that is, you know, the government there needs to do a better job. Quickly, before I let you go, Gaza, how are things improving? Well, again, I would say thanks to the ceasefire, and the administration here was critical on doing that, things have gotten a bit better. We are able to move around better. But, you know, there's tremendous misery. The challenges remain. We have a lot of work that needs to get done. I mean, you've seen all of the images, the destruction. You know, we still have serious levels of malnutrition. We are trying to get shelter in place. You know, there's rain and just misery for children all around. So I think, you know, I would say there definitely is progress with the ceasefire, God willing, that holds, and then we can continue to get more and more aid in there. God willing, that holds, as you say. Catherine Russell, thank you for your time today.

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