Horn of Africa: 20 million children in food emergency, UNICEF warns
Given water scarcity, families in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia face dire situations.
© AP/Jerome Delay
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Just over 20 million children are at risk of hunger, thirst and disease in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia, according to a report by the United Nations Children's Fund released on Thursday (December 22nd).
Climate change, conflict, inflation and grain shortages are severely affecting the Horn of Africa region.
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They were ten million last July.
They are 20.2 million now.
More than double, therefore, despite the efforts of humanitarian agencies.
"
While accelerated collective efforts have mitigated some of the worst effects of what was feared,
" said UNICEF's Deputy Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa, Lieke van de Wiel,
children in the Horn of africa are still facing
the worst drought
in more than two generations.
»
Call for donations from Unicef
Nearly two million children in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia need urgent treatment for
severe acute
malnutrition , "
the deadliest form of hunger
", says the UN agency.
Given the scarcity of water, families face extreme situations.
And this increases the pressure on children, as well as abuse, forced labor or marriages, or mutilation, sexual or non-sexual violence, especially young girls.
Unicef is calling for donations: $759 million to meet needs in 2023. An additional $690 million could enable children and their families in particular to adapt to climate change.
🔴 Horn of Africa: As drought intensifies, more than twenty million children now face the threat of hunger, thirst and serious illness.
https://t.co/6m6O3apSZX pic.twitter.com/eivqExVVTh
– UNICEF France (@UNICEF_france) December 23, 2022
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Kenya
Somalia
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Food
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