Religious Leaders and UNICEF Demand Sudan Ceasefire on Peace Day
On the International Day of Peace, African religious leaders and UNICEF jointly call for an immediate end to hostilities in Sudan to protect children.
Key points
- ACRL-RfP and UNICEF jointly called for an immediate ceasefire in Sudan on the International Day of Peace.
- The organizations cited violence, displacement, and lack of access to services as primary threats to children in the conflict.
- The appeal specifically demands safe humanitarian access and measures to protect children from harm to enable recovery.
Nairobi, 21 September 2026 – Coinciding with the International Day of Peace, the African Council of Religious Leaders (ACRL-RfP) and UNICEF have issued a joint appeal for an immediate cessation of hostilities in Sudan. The two organizations emphasized that the ongoing conflict has severely impacted children, who are facing violence, displacement, and a loss of access to essential services.
According to the joint statement, more than three years of war have left the situation in Sudan critical, with children bearing the heaviest burden of the crisis. The coalition of faith leaders and the UN agency for children stressed that a durable peace is necessary to allow families to stabilize and for children to reclaim their right to education and safety.
Urgent humanitarian access required
The primary demand of the ACRL-RfP and UNICEF is for all parties involved in the conflict to agree to an immediate ceasefire. Beyond halting the fighting, the organizations are calling for safe and unimpeded humanitarian access to ensure that aid reaches those in need. This access is described as a critical measure to protect children from further harm and to provide the basic services that have been denied to them during the war.
Defining peace as stability
For the children of Sudan, the joint statement defines peace not merely as the absence of war, but as the presence of stability and dignity. It highlights that peace offers the opportunity for children to learn, recover from trauma, and rebuild their lives. The organizations argue that without this foundational stability, the psychological and physical well-being of the younger generation will continue to deteriorate.
Coalition for shared wellbeing
The African Council of Religious Leaders operates as a continental coalition of faith organizations working to advance peace and sustainable development. By partnering with UNICEF, the group underscores a multireligious approach to humanitarian crises. Their goal is to promote cooperation across different faith communities to create a shared environment where the most disadvantaged children can survive and thrive, regardless of the geopolitical complexities of the region.
