Sudan Humanitarian Overview Vol 6, Issue 1: Jan 2010

Darfur: A Shifting Landscape

About 12,750 humanitarian workers provide assistance to communities in Darfur, representing 73 non-governmental organizations and 21 UN agencies. Aid workers deliver relief to roughly 4.7 million people in the three Darfur states, including a displaced population estimated as high as 2.7 million. In all, more than half of Darfur's estimated 7.5 million people receive some type of humanitarian assistance - among the highest proportions in the world. At the start of 2010, the operating environment in Darfur was characterized by insecurity, population movements, critical environmental issues and other challenges.

Insecurity and humanitarian access

Insecurity remains a primary cause of people's suffering and the most significant challenge to providing relief in Darfur. In the last quarter of 2009, violence and banditry continued to drive people from their homes and restricted the mobility of humanitarian organizations.