The International Rescue Committee, which launched humanitarian aid programs in
Darfur in early 2004, continues to provide vital health, water, sanitation and education services for more than 650,000 people affected by the ongoing crisis. Several other programs, however, have been recently shut down.
The IRC was among a number of international aid organizations assessed in June by the Government of Sudan’s Humanitarian Aid Commission. In regard to the IRC, the outcome was the forced closure of IRC women’s community centers and rule of law programs across Darfur, as well as educational services for children in South Darfur.
These programs delivered critical services to tens of thousands of vulnerable people in Darfur.
The 10 IRC women’s centers provided a safe space for 4,000 displaced women to gather each month to receive emotional support, health and safety information, vocational skills training and literacy classes.
The IRC rule of law program promoted human rights, access to legal aid and respect for local and international laws. Since 2005, 92,000 people received training and took part in information sessions on rights-related topics while trained paralegals staffed IRC Justice and Confidence Centers to provide 5,000 clients a month with legal advice, referrals and other support.
The IRC’s child and youth centers in Kass and Nyala, South Darfur, offered preschool programs to 3,700 young children and literacy, numeracy, and other courses as well as recreational activities to more than 4,000 youths.
Despite the unfortunate suspension of these important programs, the IRC remains one of the largest providers of life-saving humanitarian assistance in Darfur, working in 9 camps and several outlying rural areas.
IRC aid workers deliver crucial medical assistance to more than 330,000 people in camps in North and South Darfur and some 87,000 people in the Hashaba region, while ensuring that more than 220,000 people have clean water to drink and adequate sanitation. Thousands more children attend IRC educational programs in North and West Darfur.
The IRC, a lifeline to vulnerable Sudanese people for 27 years, also helps more than 1.8 million people in conflict-affected communities in North, East and Southern Sudan. Working with the Government of Sudan, the IRC remains committed to helping Sudanese communities across the country recover and rebuild.
To Learn More and Help
Visit our Darfur crisis special report
Media Contacts
Joanne Offer
Joanne.Offer@theIRC.org
+ 254 (0) 737 800 028 (mobile)
Melissa Winkler
Melissa.Winkler@theIRC.org
+ 1 212 551-0972 (office)
+ 1 646 734-0305 (cell)
