The Sudanese Alliance for Rights (SAR) strongly condemns the actions of local authorities in Al-Abbasiya Tagali, South Kordofan State, who have prevented the administration of the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) from vaccinating children against German measles. This unjustifiable decision endangers the lives of innocent children and violates their fundamental right to health and survival.
Reports indicate that this ban was imposed specifically in areas controlled by the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N), led by Abdelaziz Adam al-Hilu, following the SPLM-N’s signing of the Sudan Founding Charter with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Denying vaccinations as a form of political reprisal is unacceptable and a direct violation of international humanitarian and human rights law.
The prevention of vaccination efforts in South Kordofan contravenes several international legal frameworks, including the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) (1989), to which Sudan is a signatory. Article 24 of the CRC explicitly requires states to take all necessary measures to provide health services, including disease prevention through vaccination. Preventing immunization violates this obligation and endangers children’s lives. It also breaches the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) (1966), which in Article 12 guarantees the right to the highest attainable standard of health, including access to essential health services.
Additionally, this act contravenes Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) (1948), which affirms everyone’s right to an adequate standard of living, including health and medical care. Sudan is also bound by the Geneva Conventions and international humanitarian law, which mandate the protection of civilians, including access to essential medical care, even in conflict zones. Blocking vaccinations in SPLM-N-controlled areas violates these principles and constitutes a breach of humanitarian norms. The African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (1990) further obliges African states, including Sudan, to take measures to ensure children’s health, including the provision of vaccinations and other preventive healthcare services.
SAR has identified the affected communities, including Al-Dara, Al-Sanadra, Tufin, Al-Jibailat, Kalinda, Julia, Joqaya, Mandraba, Tabsa, Al-Sisaban, Tasi, Tayba, Al-Roseires, Al-Managil, Al-Gardod, Al-Badri, Al-Bedaria, Al-Dadouri, Al-Muraib, Habayel, Tanoder, Najofiya, Tiri, Terfit, Khur Fadila, and Tajlo. The situation has sparked outrage, with citizens protesting against the authorities’ refusal to allow them to vaccinate their children.
We call on the authorities in Al-Abbasiya and across Sudan to uphold their responsibility to protect public health. The Sudanese people, regardless of political affiliations or geographic location, deserve access to life-saving medical interventions. We urge the Sudanese government, international health organizations, the United Nations, the African Union, and humanitarian actors to intervene immediately to ensure that children in these areas receive the necessary immunizations without discrimination.
SAR stands in solidarity with affected families and remains committed to advocating for the health, safety, and rights of all Sudanese people.
Sudanese Alliance for Rights (SAR)1 March 2025