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The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has raised alarm over the dire food situation in Somalia, revealing that approximately 63% of children in the country—nearly two in three—are experiencing severe food poverty. This critical issue is placing a significant portion of the nation’s youngest population at risk of malnutrition and related health crises.
Widespread Malnutrition Among Children in Somalia
In a statement released Tuesday, UNICEF highlighted that up to 50% of Somali children are more likely to suffer from wasting, a life-threatening form of malnutrition. The report further detailed that among children aged 6 to 23 months, only 1 in 5 receive essential proteins from foods like eggs, fish, poultry, or meat, while two-thirds of these children consume no vegetables or fruits.
“Child food poverty is a serious issue in Somalia that has been compounded by the cycle of climate-induced crises and conflicts,” said Wafaa Saeed, UNICEF’s representative in Somalia. She emphasized the urgent need for collaborative efforts to enhance the food system for young children and ensure that families have access to a variety of locally available foods, particularly meat, fish, fruits, and vegetables, which are currently scarce in many diets.
Impact of Climate and Conflict on Humanitarian Needs in Somalia
Despite some improvements, the country remains severely affected by recurrent climatic shocks, such as droughts and floods, along with ongoing conflict, insecurity, disease outbreaks, and pervasive poverty. These factors continue to exacerbate the humanitarian crisis in the Horn of Africa nation.
Currently, an estimated 4 million Somalis face crisis or emergency levels of food insecurity, with 1.7 million children at risk of acute malnutrition. Of these, approximately 430,000 children are likely to be severely malnourished in 2024.
Funding Shortfall for Humanitarian Response
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has called for $1.6 billion in funding to support the 2024 Humanitarian Response Plan (HNRP) in Somalia. However, as of August 2, only $507 million had been secured, leaving a significant gap in the resources needed to address the crisis.
Globally, of the 181 million children living in severe food poverty, 65% are concentrated in 20 countries, including Somalia. According to UNICEF, more than 80% of caregivers in Somalia reported that their child had gone an entire day without eating. The report also noted that 64 million affected children are in South Asia, with another 59 million in Sub-Saharan Africa. Somalia ranks as the most affected country in Eastern and Southern Africa.
Call to Action
UNICEF’s findings underscore the urgent need for increased international support and a coordinated response to tackle the severe food poverty and malnutrition plaguing Somalia’s children. The organization is calling for greater investment in food systems and humanitarian assistance to ensure that the most vulnerable populations receive the necessary aid to survive and thrive.