Human rights and humanitarian action are closely interlinked, each aiming to alleviate the suffering and enhance the well-being of affected populations, albeit through distinct approaches. Unlike humanitarian action, which takes places only during humanitarian crises like armed conflicts and natural disasters, human rights are applicable at all times, both in peace and during crises. The case of Sudan, one of the most severe human rights and humanitarian crises in the recent history, is neglected on many levels. This is reflected in the lack of international response to the severe violation of human rights and the dire humanitarian situation in the country. This leads us to recognise the need to redefine the relationship between human rights and humanitarian action in crisis settings. Despite sharing a common goal of promoting human welfare, human rights organisations and humanitarian actors utilise different strategies, which can be broadly classified as technical and practical efforts, respectively. Therefore, there has to be an emphasis on the universal application of human rights in crisis-affected contexts like Sudan through humanitarian action. The interdependent relationship between these two humanity-focused forces, where human rights dictate humanitarian action, can ultimately improve the lives of people in Sudan and similar contexts.
The 2023 Sudanese conflict has resulted in a severe human rights crisis. With the displacement of ten million people, serious violations of human rights are occurring due to the ethnic cleansing, ruined health system, internet and communication blackouts and food insecurity in the country. The dire humanitarian situation has led to 25 million Sudanese people needing humanitarian aid, indicating that over half of the population in Sudan is dependent on assistance for survival. It must be noted that human rights violations and the humanitarian crisis in Sudan feed into one another, creating a vicious cycle of suffering. On one hand, human rights violations in Sudan have hampered humanitarian efforts, since humanitarian workers are faced by life-threatening risks, and the buildings of humanitarian agencies are deliberately targeted. For instance, UN reports show that in the first four months of the conflict, 19 humanitarian workers were killed, and after one month from the conflict, the aid warehouses, UN and other agencies and humanitarian properties that were exposed to attacks. Conversely, the worsening humanitarian crisis has further eroded and negatively affected human rights due to their indivisibility and interconnectedness. For instance, lack of access to food has led to the death of Sudanese people and pregnant women because of malnutrition and severe, crisis levels of hunger, highlighting how the humanitarian plight in Sudan can undermine people's right to health and life....