UNICEF Warns of Worsening Child Malnutrition Crisis in the Middle East and North Africa
UNICEF: Child Malnutrition Crisis in the Middle East and North Africa Worsens Due to Conflicts and Climate Change
UNICEF sounded the alarm on Monday, stating that one-third of children in the Middle East and North Africa are suffering from malnutrition. The organization warned of a “worsening crisis” amid ongoing conflicts and climate changes in the region.
In a shocking statement, the United Nations Children’s Fund declared: “At least 77 million children, which accounts for one-third of children in the Middle East and North Africa, suffer from some form of malnutrition.” The alarming statistics reveal that 55 million children in 20 countries of the region are overweight or obese, while another 24 million children are suffering from malnutrition, stunted growth, and wasting.
According to the UN body, the malnutrition crisis in the region has severely deteriorated due to the nature of children’s diets, lack of access to nutritious food, clean water, medical care, and essential services, as well as the proliferation of cheap and unhealthy foods high in salt, sugar, and fat.
In its statement, UNICEF warned that “persistent conflicts, political instability, climate shocks, and rising food prices are collectively depriving children of the right to nutritious food and limiting access to humanitarian assistance for vulnerable populations.”
Adele Khodr, UNICEF’s Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, emphasized that “only one-third of children receive nutritious food,” calling the 2024 statistics “shocking” and warning that “with the continuation of conflicts, crises, and other challenges” in the region, the situation risks becoming even worse.
According to a report published in July by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and other UN agencies, 733 million people, equivalent to 9% of the world’s population, suffered from hunger in 2023. About 2.3 billion people faced moderate or severe food insecurity, meaning they had to skip meals from time to time. More than one-third of the world’s population, including 72 percent of people in the poorest countries, could not afford a healthy diet.
These statistics indicate a deep and widespread humanitarian crisis that warrants immediate attention and serious action from the global community.
