Refugees in Sudan

Sudanese refugees are persons from Sudan migrating to seek shelter outside their native country. Sudan has always been a territory consisted of several civil wars and environmental changes. This created a forced migration of the Sudanese population. The refugee is a person who is outside his or her country of origin or habitual residence because they have suffered persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or because they are a member of a persecuted "social group" or because they are fleeing a war. A person may also be called an 'asylum seeker' until recognized by the state where they make a claim.

There is a large number of Sudanese refugees in Egypt. Many Sudanese travel to Cairo to obtain official recognition of their refugee status from the UNHCR. The Sudanese refugees in Egypt fall under two categories: those who are waiting for their status-determination interview and those who have been rejected or who are self-settled. More of the 50 percent of Sudanese asylum seekers have their applications for refugee status rejected. The UNHCR in Cairo does not recognize polygamous unions, so they will not refer polygamists for resettlement to countries where polygamy is not permitted. All of these factors have contributed to the break-up of families, divorce, and the abandonment of children.