Child Hunger in Sahel as Distressing as in Horn of Africa

UNICEF NZ (United Children’s Fund)
Media Release
Friday 13 April

Child Hunger in Sahel as Distressing as in Horn of Africa

The risk for children with acute malnutrition in the Sahel is as distressing as it was in the Horn of Africa last year. As hunger reaches emergency levels across the Sahel, with at least one million children at risk, our humanity and concern for others demands we take action to prevent a repeat of last year’s deadly Horn of Africa famine.

The cost of late response to early warning signs caused thousands to suffer in the Horn of Africa. Climate change has led to poor rains and failed crops pushing up food prices and causing food shortages in the Sahel region of West and Central Africa, an early warning for the world.

Without a good emergency response and a sustained effort to reduce risk in the medium to long term an entire generation faces a future of dependency, poverty and threatened survival.

Six months ago a severe famine in the Horn of Africa was recognised but the world’s response was slow. Once the humanitarian response began the spread of famine was reversed and tens of thousands of children’s lives were saved, but in the process a lesson on punctuality was learned by the world.

In December 2011, the alarm bell was sounded on the looming nutrition crisis in the Sahel, but the response has lagged behind the needs. An estimated 15 million people are affected by the drought and tens of thousands of children need to be treated for severe acute malnutrition.
Dennis McKinlay, Executive Director of UNICEF NZ, said ‘The world was slow to react last year, but once the world responded and funds came in the situation improved significantly and the famine was stopped in Somalia.

‘This year millions of children are at risk of severe malnutrition in the Sahel and how we response to this food crisis will ultimately determine the fate of these children in the coming weeks.’
UNICEF has sent in life-saving supplies and set up hundreds of nutritional rehabilitation centres across all eight countries of the Sahel in an early attempt to ward off the looming famine.

UNICEF is currently working with communities to build resilience to strengthen its investment in long-term development which is aimed at preventing a similar scale catastrophe like was seen in the Horn of Africa last year.

‘It’s about putting the fence at the top of the cliff rather than the bottom. It’s about responding quickly to the immediate need while continuing to focus on long-term development,’ said McKinlay.

The current crisis presents a new opportunity to build resilience by tackling the causes of chronically high malnutrition in the Sahel by helping governments and communities build robust health systems, social services, social protection and support for sustainable livelihoods and behavioural change.

Donate to UNICEF’s Sahel appeal to help save children’s lives in The Sahel and West Africa. Donate at www.unicef.org.nz/sound-the-alarm or call our Donation Line 0800 800 194

About UNICEF
UNICEF is on the ground in over 190 countries and territories to help children survive and thrive, from early childhood through adolescence.
UNICEF is the largest emergency response agency for children and the world’s largest provider of vaccines for developing countries. UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS.

UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments.

Every $1 donated to us is worth at least $10 in the field thanks to the way we work in partnership with governments, local NGOs and other partners.
www.unicef.org.nz

ENDS

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