Category: New Zealand NGOs

Source: Save The Children

SANA’A, 25 September – Humanitarian aid in Yemen has been cut by 62% over five years, endangering the lives and futures of the country’s most vulnerable people, especially children, warned Save the Children. 

Two-thirds of Yemen’s population – 21.6 million people, including 11 million children – will need humanitarian assistance and protection this year, according to the UN.

Despite this, funding for the Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) for Yemen, one of the world’s biggest emergencies, has plummeted from $3.64 billion USD in 2019 to $1.38 billion so far this year,[i] according to Save the Children’s funding analysis of annual contributions to the HRP. Commitments made by donors at the High-Level Pledging Conference in February barely reached one-third of funding requirements and with 2023 winding down, it is deeply concerning that few additional pledges and contributions have been made and that some donors still have not dispersed the funding that was promised.

The UK has slashed its funding to the HRP by over 86% since 2019. Denmark scaled back by nearly 80%, while Germany, which remains the fourth largest donor, is lagging behind its funding commitments with a scale-back of over 60%. 

The United States, which provides nearly half of all humanitarian funding for Yemen, has also reduced its humanitarian aid by 23%, given increasingly dire needs globally and a more constrained funding environment. The European Commission also slashed its funding by around 22%

Kuwait, the UAE and Saudi Arabia have virtually abandoned their funding, with cuts of almost 99%, 98% and 90% respectively since 2019.

Meanwhile, other countries have stepped up their contributions, including Canada (15%), the Netherlands (46%), and France (59%).  We commend these nations for their increased commitment during these trying times.

Save the Children, along with 97 other international and local partners are making an urgent call to action in light of the funding crisis.[ii]

The impact of this financial drought is immediate and deeply concerning, said Save the Children. Children’s sectors are the lowest funded and so far in 2023, with only 7.5% of the funding needed for child protection and 9.6% required for education secured.

Beyond the numbers, the impact of the cuts is visible and far-reaching. Children in Yemen are at risk of having fewer social workers, safe spaces and less psychosocial support. The education system is also at a breaking point, seen in the lack of materials, the deteriorating facilities and a rising rate of dropouts – especially among girls. 

Eyad*, 16, who lost his legs in a shelling incident, told Save the Children:

“Children and the young generation of today would have a bright future if the resources are made available, but this is in the hands of the world leaders.”

Rama Hansraj, Country Director for Save the Children in Yemen, said: 

“The generosity of donors to Yemen has provided a critical lifeline to children and their families. While we deeply appreciate the years of support that has been provided, now is not the time to look away from Yemen. 

We are at the brink of leaving an entire generation behind. These are not just numbers; these are children with dreams, aspirations, and the right to a safe and fulfilling life. If funds continue to deteriorate, particularly from our key donors, the consequences will be irreversibly catastrophic.”

Save the Children urgently calls for immediate, flexible funding increases, especially in key underfunded sectors, to prevent the undoing years of progress in Yemen. We also advocate for an early and sustained release of these funds for uninterrupted service delivery.

Since 1963, Save the Children has been deeply committed to bettering the lives of children and families in Yemen through a range of multi-sectoral programs, including child protection, education, healthcare, food security, and WASH. With operations spanning 9 out of Yemen’s 23 governorates, we have one of the most extensive reaches among international NGOs in the country with the aim to empower vulnerable communities to build a brighter, safer future.

Notes to Editor:

• Below are the detailed notes highlighting the funding trends from 2019 to 2023, according to the OCHA financial tracking system, as of 15 September. 2019 was the highest point for contributions for many countries and provides us with a five-year data analysis.

Country/Organization	HRP Funds (in million USD) 2019	HRP Funds (in million USD) 2023	Percentage of the Change (decline/increase)
Kuwait	93.6	1.0	-98.93%
United Arab Emirates	420.0	7.77	-98.15%
Saudi Arabia	1063.3	112.7	-89.40%
United Kingdom	252.4	35.0	-86.13%
Denmark	29.6	6.3	-78.72%
Germany	170.6	68.1	-60.08%
Japan	40.11	23.8	-40.65%
Belgium	9.9	6.3	-36.36%
Sweden	32.6	22.05	-32.40%
European Commission	162.9	127.7	-21.66%
Norway	17.5	13.8	-21.14%
United States of America	903.7	698.6	-22.71%
Australia	7.2	6.0	-16.67%
Canada	33.2	38.2	15.06%
Netherlands	20.5	30.1	46.83%
France	6.4	10.2	59.38%

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For further enquiries please contact:

Our media out of hours (BST) contact is media@savethechildren.org.uk / +44(0)7831 650409

Please also check our Twitter account @Save_GlobalNews for news alerts, quotes, statements and location Vlogs.

Source: Save The Children

MANILA, 22 September – The Government of the Philippines must act to implement its own laws to protect children, in the wake of the reports of horrific violence and abuse of a suspected 1,587 children on Surigao Del Norte island in Mindanao, says Save the Children.

The call comes after Socorro Bayanihan Services – an obscure religious movement based in a mountainous enclave on the remote island in the south of the Philippines – was this week accused of engaging in sexual violence and forced marriage of its own members, including children. The organisation is understood to have at least 3,500 members, including 1,587 children, and has been accused of facilitating rape, sexual violence, child abuse, forced marriage and other crimes against children. Some child escapees have detailed being forced to marry at the age of 13.  

Save the Children has long been at the forefront of advocating for legislation aimed at eradicating violence against children in the Philippines, including the recent laws to raise the age of sexual consent, and the law to prohibit and criminalize the practice of child marriage.

In response to the reports of the crimes being committed against children, Atty. Alberto Muyot, CEO of Save the Children Philippines said:

“Time is of the essence and we fear that there could be more affected children who are unaccounted for and whose lives and futures are at risk.

“We urgently call upon the government, specifically our law enforcement agencies, to conduct immediate and thorough investigations into these incidents, secure the protection of the affected children, and bring the perpetrators to justice.”

“Our work to protect children doesn’t end with the passage of laws; it begins there. It is of utmost importance that laws around protecting children from abuse and early marriage are not merely words on paper but are instead, rigorously implemented and enforced. We firmly believe that every child has the right to be protected and this must be upheld without compromise,”

Save the Children calls upon all relevant authorities in this case to align their actions with these crucial legal provisions and urges local governments to strengthen their child protection systems.

• ENDS –  

For further enquiries please contact: Rachel Thompson Rachel.Thompson@savethechildren.org

Our media out of hours (BST) contact is media@savethechildren.org.uk / +44(0)7831 650409

Source: Save The Children

Yana (name changed) aged 9, attends a Ukrainian school setup for refugee pupils from Ukraine in Warsaw. Credit Paul Wu/DEC

GENEVA, 20 Sept 2023: Ukrainian refugee children miss their family, friends, and pets, and worry about not knowing the local language and the future but they don’t want to return home until it is safe,  according to a new report by Save the Children and partner IMPACT Initiatives.

The report – Experiences, Needs and Aspirations of Children Adolescents and Caregivers Displaced from Ukraine includes the results of nearly 15,300 surveys with adult refugees living in 24 European countries, as well as consultations with 307 children and adolescents, 115 child caregivers, 33 host community members, and 34 child service providers in Poland and Romania.

The report found that most children and caregivers generally felt safe and welcomed in theirhostcountries, but they were missing life in Ukraine. About six million refugees from Ukraine – or about 14% of the population – were displaced across Europe as of mid-August 2023.

Separation from loved ones is affecting the well-being of many refugee children and caregivers.

Oksana* a secondary school pupil from Poland said:

“I wish grandpa and my dog were here. I miss my friends too.”

Children said their main needs were more leisure time and better access to extra-curricular activities, especially sport.

Nataliia* a secondary school pupil from Romania said:

“I played football and practiced karate in Ukraine. I don’t have such opportunities here.”

The majority of families – about 87% – intended to stay in their current location in the short-term, mainly due to security reasons and better access to education, but most families planned on returning to Ukraine once the security situation allowed.

Limited employment opportunities combined with the cost-of-living crisis are also having an impact on Ukrainian refugees. The refugees surveyed spent 44% of their monthly expenses on food and drinks.

Denys*, a primary school pupil from Romania said:

“Most of all, Ukrainians are worried about finding a job. Because dad’s salary is not enough for the whole family. Mom is looking for a job every day. She has already been to many job interviews, but the salary is very small.”

The report found that most children and caregivers felt welcomed by the host communities.

Secondary school pupil Ilya*, Romania, said:

“If I had a problem I would talk to any neighbour in our street. I know all of them.”

However, some children in Romania and Poland report xenophobic remarks and bullying from children and adults in the host community.

Olena*, a secondary school pupil from Poland, added:

“In the tram, a boy spoke Ukrainian, and the Poles pulled him out of the tram, intimidated him, and took his phone.”

Magdalena Rossmann, Regional Deputy Programme Development & Quality Director – Ukraine and Regional Refugee Response for Save the Children, said:

“The report provides a unique insight into the experiences of refugee children from Ukraine. Children are telling us that they generally feel safe and welcomed in their host communities, but that they also face emotional and practical challenges. They need access to extra-curricular activities, such as sport and music, which they can take part in alongside local children. It’s essential that host governments provide specialised support for low-income refugee families, so that no child is left behind.” 

Save the Children is supporting Ukrainian refugee children who are living in Europe by providing emergency cash assistance, education, child protection services and connecting refugee families with local services and local communities.

IMPACT Initiatives supports humanitarian action for Ukrainian refugees through data and information products, like its ongoing longitudinal study assessing the movement patterns, needs and aspirations of refugees. 

Notes

*All names changed to protect identities.

Quantitative data was collected between November 2022 and April 2023.

Qualitative interviews were conducted with children and adolescents, caregivers and host community members living in Poland and Romania between December 2022 and January 2023.

The assessment employed a mixed-methods approach, comprised of a longitudinal phone survey with refugees from Ukraine, in-person refugee children’s consultations, focus group discussions with refugee caregivers and host community members, as well as key informant interviews with child protection, health and education service providers in host countries.

For more information please contact:

For out of hours media requests please email media@savethechildren.org.uk or +44 (0) 7831 650409

Source: Save The Children

Source: Save The Children

NEW YORK, 19 September – Arsenal’s Leah Williamson has become the first England women’s footballer to take to the stage at the United Nations, where she will make an impassioned plea to challenge gender stereotypes and level the playing field for girls around the world.
Leah – who has won six major trophies with the Arsenal football club and as captain led the English team to their first-ever Women’s EURO title last summer – is joining world leaders in New York for the United Nations’ Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs) Summit.

Leah will tell the audience at the UN about her recent visit to Za’atari in Jordan – the largest Syrian refugee camp in the world – where she saw first-hand what football has done for girls and entire communities there through the work of The Arsenal Foundation and Save the Children.

She says: “Sport has the power to change lives – but it’s still not a level playing field for so many girls around the world. Football definitely changed my life. After visiting the Za’atari refugee camp, I’ve seen first-hand how our football programme, Coaching for Life, is helping the girls in the camp cope better with the challenges they face.

“Almost all women footballers will have a story about the challenges they faced taking up the game, but at least in countries like England and America we had a chance. In some countries, girls have social restrictions that limit their access to playing football and that has to change. Through The Arsenal Foundation’s work with Save the Children, we’ve shown in Za’atari how we can empower girls through sport, and how boys can play an active role with us on that journey.”

In 2018, The Arsenal Foundation and Save the Children combined their expertise to launch Coaching for Life – a programme that uses the power of football to build a sense of belonging and improve the physical, mental and emotional wellbeing of children and their families affected by the Syrian war.

Leah recently visited Za’atari with The Arsenal Foundation and Save the Children to see the impact that Coaching for Life was having on children and families in the camp. Rahaf*, a 16-year-old girl from Syria whose family have lived in Za’atari for 10 years after fleeing war in their home country, has been through the programme and met Leah during her visit.

Rahaf says: “It strengthened my personality much more than before, as now I can speak in front of more people. I was so shy before. I can make decisions myself – I am strong enough to make them.”

When Coaching for Life started, just a handful of girls took part – but now, on its fifth anniversary, it has made the significant breakthrough of having an equal number of girls and boys graduating from the programme.

Leah says: “At first, fathers in the camp were reluctant for their daughters to get involved – but then relented. They saw how their daughters became empowered. We are now moving towards a gender-transformative approach in the camp – and this is key all around the world as well – to address deep-rooted stereotypes. We need to involve men and boys in the conversation about positive masculinity and the barriers women and girls face.”

Israa Abujamouse, Area Manager, Save the Children Jordan, adds: “Over the past five years, Coaching for Life has been a shining example of the power of partnership and has been guided by the Za’atari community from the outset. Children who have participated have shared with us that the programme has enhanced their sense of belonging, improved their relationships with their family and boosted their confidence. But it’s through the support of inspiring role models like Leah that they can dream even bigger.”

Vinai Venkatesham, Chief Executive of Arsenal, says: “Everyone at the club is incredibly proud of Leah visiting the UN to advocate on behalf of girls around the world. Leah will be the first Arsenal player to do this on this stage and use our voice to champion global communities to bring progress. Having visited Za’atari and seen the impact Coaching for Life is making, I am proud we can lift the voices of children in the camp and share the power of sport and programmes like this with so many others who can make a meaningful difference to the world.”

Svenja Geissmar, Chair of The Arsenal Foundation, comments: “This project has been developed by harnessing our 38 years of experience and work in Arsenal’s local community in north London and, in partnership with Save the Children, we gave taken it global to one of the largest refugee camps in the world. Through evidence and research, we know this programme works – now we want to go further by maintaining equality and adapting Coaching for Life to the evolving needs of the participants and their families so it continues to make a positive impact.”

Arsenal tracks Coaching for Life against the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 5 (achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls). The programme also has a role to play in Goal 4 (ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all) as it can be a pathway for some in returning to formal education and particularly for girls to understand their rights to education.

Arsenal Women have challenged gender stereotypes and pioneered new ground ever since the team’s formation in 1987 – and last season set a new record for a domestic women’s game in England by selling out Emirates Stadium against Wolfsburg in the Champions League.

Leah adds: “2023 marks the halfway point in the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. My message to everyone is that we have a big second half ahead but, if we work together, we can get the result we need. I’ve seen the progress at Za’atari, but there’s still so much more to do to level the playing field for girls around the world. We need to harness the power of sport and make sure we don’t leave girls behind.”

– ENDS –

Assets (attributed to Arsenal / Save the Children)

• Imagery of Leah’s visit to Za’atari with The Arsenal Foundation and Save The Children: here
• Hero film of Leah’s visit: here
• Imagery of Leah at the UN: To follow
• Case study from Za’atari camp: Available on request

Contacts

• Alistair Cripps, Senior Communications Manager, Arsenal: acripps@arsenal.co.uk
• Rachel Sewell, Senior PR Manager, Save The Children: r.sewell@savethechildren.org.uk

Source: Save The Children

Aerial photos of villages and farms along the River Shebelle show the impact of the devastating floods in southern Somalia earlier this year. Photo Awale Koronto/ Save the Children

 

MOGADISHU 18 September 2023 – About two in five children under the age of five in Somalia are likely to suffer from acute malnutrition by July 2024, despite initial hopes that rainfall would bring more relief, Save the Children said.  

The latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) figures for Somalia shows that more than one-fourth of the population – or 4.3 million people – are expected to be in crisis levels of hunger (IPC3* and above) by December 2023 compared to 3.7 million currently. 

The findings show that acute malnutrition has generally improved compared to last year. However, the situation is still extremely worrying with about 1.5 million children – 43% of children under the age of five in Somalia – expected to suffer from acute malnutrition by July 2024.  

Banadir, the southeastern region of Somalia that covers the city of Mogadishu, is expected to face the highest level of acute malnutrition among children, affecting 55% of children under the age of five, including nearly 90,000 children who are expected to suffer from severe acute malnutrition, the deadliest form of hunger.  

Somalia is experiencing one of the world’s worst hunger crises after its worse drought in four decades. While increases in aid at the end of last year diverted fears of a repeat of the famine of 2011 – when an estimated 260,000 people died – the country is still facing crisis levels of hunger. Recent rainfall has not been enough to break the hunger crisis in Somalia.  

The prolonged drought has ruined the soil, making it difficult to absorb rain to be able to grow crops and has led to devastating flash floods following heavy rains that destroyed even more homes and livestock.  El Nino events are expected to strengthen drying in the second half of 2023, potentially intensifying flooding occurrences. This, in turn, raises alarms about heightened disease risks, including acute watery diarrhea, cholera, malaria, and acute respiratory tract infections, particularly among vulnerable children. 

Save the Children’s Humanitarian Director for Somalia, Francesca Sangiorgi, said: 

“Two in five children under the age of five – or about 1.5 million – are likely to be malnourished by next summer. Hundreds, if not thousands, of children are likely to die of starvation and other hunger-related illnesses. But, behind each statistic is a child, a life teetering on the edge of hunger.  

“While the international community was successful in diverting a famine in Somalia at the end of last year, much work is still needed. We are only getting started if we wish to eradicate all forms of malnutrition by 2030 and save lives in Somalia.” 

Save the children is calling on donors to step up their response to the crisis and ensure lifesaving food, water, health and nutrition services become available immediately to families who desperately need it across Somalia. 

The child rights organisation is also calling for action to truly put an end to hunger across Somalia and the Horn of Africa for good by the international community addressing the root causes, including finding a sustainable solution to the global climate crisis and supporting the communities most affected to adapt and prepare for climate shocks.    

Save the Children has worked in Somalia since 1951 and is a national and international leader in humanitarian and development programming in water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), health, nutrition, food security, education, child protection and child rights governance. In 2022 Save the Children provided humanitarian aid to about 4.3 million people, including about 2.5 million children. 

ENDS 

Notes to Editor: 

• Acute malnutrition analysis findings show that approximately 1.5 million children aged 6 to 59 months under the age of five years face acute malnutrition between August 2023 and July 2024, including 330,630 who are likely to be severely malnourished.  
• In the regions where IPC analyzed, there are 3,391,053 children under the age of five. 
• According to IPC, the key drivers of acute food insecurity and malnutrition in Somalia include the combined effects of blow average and poorly distributed rainfall, flooding, the extended impact of multi-season drought in pastoral areas, limited household access to food due to income constraints and elevated food prices, continued insecurity, and conflict. 
• In Banadir, 317,520 children under the age of five are expected to face acute malnutrition, 55% of the 574,886 children under five in the region.  

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For further enquiries please contact:

–          Samantha Halyk, Senior Global Media Manager, Samantha.halyk@savethechildren.org (based in London)

–          Delfhin Mugo, Regional Media Manager, Delfhin.Mugo@savethechildren.org (based in Kenya)

–          Our media out of hours (BST) contact is media@savethechildren.org.uk / +44(0)7831 650409

We have spokespeople available.

Please also check our Twitter account @Save_GlobalNews for news alerts, quotes, statements and location Vlogs.

Source: Save The Children

Photo credit: Randa Ghazy/Save the Children

RAMALLAH, 18 Sept 2023 – At least 38 Palestinian children have been killed by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank so far in 2023, making it the deadliest year since records began, said Save the Children.

This horrific record was reached this month after the deaths of two 16-year-old boys on two separate occasions¹.

On average, it equates to more than one Palestinian child killed per week. At least six Israeli children have also been killed this year. 

As the second consecutive year for record numbers of child fatalities in the West Bank, this highlights the worsening situation for children’s safety across the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt).

A Palestinian child interviewed by Save the Children last year was one of the children killed this month.  His words are a haunting reminder of the fears Palestinian children face on a regular basis, and his death drives home the reality of those risks. Yousef* said:

“My dream is to be able to look at anything on my way to school, like birds and greenery. I want to see the things I always imagine. I don’t want to smell gas or see soldiers everywhere. I don’t want to be scared to go outside. I don’t want my mother to be scared that I might get hurt or roam the streets looking for me, fearing I was hurt by Israeli soldiers.”

Despite only being September, the child death toll in oPt this year has already reached at least 44, including at least six children killed in Gaza. This figure is just one short of the 45 Palestinian children killed in total in 2022. Two Israeli children were also killed last year.²

Five of the Palestinian children killed this year were under 12 years old, and three were under eight. The youngest was just two years old.

In July, at least four Palestinian children were killed in Jenin during the largest Israeli military operation in the West Bank in over 20 years, involving a heavy use of force including airstrikes.

Amina*, a 15-year-old girl who experienced the Jenin military operation, said:

“Every once in a while, I sit alone in the room and start crying. I cry about everything that happened to us. I dream every day of what happened. I don’t sleep until dawn, until I make sure that they are not coming back for us.”

Amina’s mother said:

“My daughters are not the same, my seven-year-old refuses to leave the house alone now. And once the girls hear that the soldiers are coming into the camp, they start crying, wanting to leave.”

Jason Lee, oPt Country Director for Save the Children, said: 

“We’re facing the deadliest year in the West Bank, once again, with several months of 2023 to go. This is an alarming trend. This year has been marked by an unprecedented use of force and record numbers of child deaths since records began. The maiming and killing of children must end.”

Save the Children is calling for an immediate end to the excessive use of force against children by Israeli forces. At the same time, we are calling for an immediate, independent investigation into – and accountability for – the killing of all children. As long as a culture of impunity persists, cycles of violence are likely to continue.

Without an immediate de-escalation, children will continue to pay the price with their lives. The government of Israel must protect children and restrict use of force in line with its obligations under international law.

Save the Children has been working with Palestinian children since the 1950s, with a permanent presence in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) since 1973. Our team works across the oPt, with over 30 partners, to ensure children survive, have a chance to learn, are protected from all types of abuse, and that all actors remain committed to fulfilling the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).

ENDS

Notes to editors

[1] According to the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), 36 Palestinian children were killed in the West Bank in 2022.  As of 14 September, OCHA’s public oPt casualties database reports 36 children killed in the West Bank in 2023 (as of 31 August). However, sources including the Palestinian Ministry of Health and Defense for Children International have reported two additional child fatalities in the West Bank, on 5 and 9 September respectively. The UN have confirmed to Save the Children verification of both fatalities and are in the process of updating their public oPt casualties database.

Each year, the UNSG releases a report on Children in Armed Conflict, which lists parties committing grave violations against children that have failed to put in place measures to improve their protection. In the 2023 report, Israeli forces, as with previous years, were not listed.

^[2] UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) database from 2008 – 2023:   https://www.ochaopt.org/data/casualties

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For further enquiries please contact:

We have Jason Lee available as a spokesperson in oPT.

Our media out of hours (BST) contact is media@savethechildren.org.uk / +44(0)7831 650409

Please also check our Twitter account @Save_GlobalNews for news alerts, quotes, statements and location Vlogs.

Source: Save The Children

“Following the President of the European Commission Von der Leyen and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s visit to Lampedusa today, Save the Children is calling for a coordinated response which urgently meets the needs of all children.

“Many of the unaccompanied children arriving in Lampedusa will have survived exploitation and inhumane treatment along their journeys. Decision makers must agree policies which prioritise children’s rights, including supporting faster and easier family reunification and more legal routes to safely reach Europe. These measures are essential to minimise the risk of them becoming victims of further violence and abuse.

“Over the last few days, authorities have struggled to provide food and water to people arriving in Lampedusa, including children and pregnant women. As we witness how people are being stripped of their fundamental rights, we must acknowledge the responsibility to protect all people fleeing from conflict, extreme poverty and the consequences of climate change.”

For more information contact media@savethechildren.org.uk 

Source: Save The Children

Inger Ashing with at a child-friendly space supported by Save the Children in Ukraine. Photo credit: OLEKSANDR KHOMENKO/ Save the Children

UNITED NATIONS, 14 SEPTEMBER 2023 – “Generations of children at stake”: Inger Ashing, CEO of Save the Children International, who will be attending the SDG Summit, said:

“On Monday, world leaders will meet at the United Nations General Assembly to take stock of progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals, or SDGs. These goals have now reached their midpoint of implementation, yet barely one in 10 of their requirements are on track to be met by 2030. Time is running out.

“We need to urgently accelerate progress toward the SDGs with and for children. All State parties to the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child have an obligation to provide children with safe and meaningful opportunities to engage in decision-making on matters that impact them.

“Critically, leaders must put children’s rights front and centre of all the commitments they bring forth at the SDG Summit. As they deliberate, they must have the unique needs and priorities of children at the front of their minds. The wellbeing, livelihoods and planet of current and future generations of children is at stake.”

ENDS

 

Inger Ashing is available in New York for interviews from Sunday. To arrange media requests please contact:

 

Source: Save The Children

• Leaders to meet 18-19 Sept for the 2023 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Summit in New York
• The summit marks the mid-way point towards the 2030 deadline for achieving the globlal goals and aims to prompt a new wave of high-level political commitment on actions.

UNITED NATIONS, 14 Sept 2023 – An estimated 194 million children born between now and 2030 will have stunted growth unless world leaders gathering next week at the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Summit urgently accelerate progress towards meeting the goals, said Save the Children.

The latest findings from Save the Children’s new data visualization tool, the Child Atlas [childatlas.org] , expose the grim consequences of global inaction in addressing rising levels of malnutrition, which countries committed to end in SDG2 on zero hunger.

If current stunting trends persist, nearly one newborn on average will be stunted every second over the next seven years.

Stunting damages growth and development in children who are under nourished or have poor nutrition and can have devastating lifelong effects—making them more susceptible to disease and infection and damaging their physical and cognitive development.

Countries in Sub-Saharan Africa are expected to bear the heaviest burden, estimated to account for 86 million cases of stunting for children born between 2023 and 2030, followed closely by South Asia with 67 million cases. The Eastern Asia and Pacific region is set to witness nearly 22 million stunted children, while the Middle East and North Africa brace for 9.6 million cases, and Latin and Central America anticipate 6.7 million children facing stunted growth.

Pakistan and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) stand among the top four countries expected to face the highest levels of stunting in the next seven years with over 25% of their populations currently experiencing crisis levels of hunger.

The Child Atlas also found that more than half of projected stunting cases to children born in the next seven years will happen to children living in the poorest 40% of households, underscoring the impact of extreme poverty on children’s development.

While stunting has steadily decreased since 2000, progress has fallen short of the internationally agreed targets of 100 million cases by 2025 or to eradicate all forms of malnutrition by 2030.

Nana Ndeda, Head of Advocacy and Policy for Hunger at Save the Children, said:

“About 194 million children born between now and 2030 will suffer from stunted growth–nearly one child every minute for the next seven years. That’s more than all the children under 18 currently living in the G7 countries combined. 

“The silent crisis of stunting speaks volumes about how much work is still needed to address the global hunger crisis to reach the SDGs by 2030. If we do not eradicate all forms of malnutrition in the next seven years, an entire generation of children will suffer the ripple effects of hunger. Children must be at the forefront of all decisions at next week’s UNGA; their futures depend on it. 

“Although immediate funding is critical to saving lives now, we need longer-term solutions and changes to systems that will stop this crisis from recurring. Reactive humanitarian funding is too slow, unreliable, costly and ultimately ineffective to tackle the complex crises of today. World leaders must invest in early warning systems and disaster preparedness to better prepare for future shocks and mitigate the impacts before it is too late. We also need world leaders to commit to an overhaul of the global financial systems to unlock the finance needed at scale to deliver the SDGs for all people everywhere, in line with the pledge to Leave No One Behind.”

Save the Children is calling on world leaders at the UNGA to address the root causes of acute food and nutrition insecurity. Only by putting an end to global conflict, by tackling the climate crisis and global inequality, and by building more resilient health, nutrition and social protection systems that are less vulnerable to shocks like COVID-19, will we be able to ensure the same warnings are not ringing out again in the coming years.

The child right’s organisation is also calling for greater collaboration, dialogue and investment across sectors with, and leadership by, local communities, to bolster response planning and implementation, as well as our abilities to act early and prevent predictable shocks from turning into crises. Save the Children is also calling on world leaders to scale up low-cost interventions to prevent and treat malnutrition: community-based treatment for acute malnutrition, supporting and protecting breastfeeding, and investing in community and primary-level healthcare.

ENDS

Notes to Editor:

• The Child Atlas integrates the most recent data from a range of publicly available data sources, including UNICEF, WHO, UNESCO, the World Bank, as well as data curated by civil society organisations and academia.
• If the current stunting rates continue, the Child Atlas estimates 194 million children born between Jan 2023 and December 2029 are expected to experience stunted growth.
• Between 1 January 2023 and 31 December 2029, there will be 220,924,800 seconds. 194,000,000 divided by 220,924,800 seconds = 0.87. On average, nearly one child born each second between now and 2030 is estimated to be stunted. 
• 51% of all stunting cases happen to children living in the poorest 40% of households (this is based on 99 countries, representing 85% of all stunting cases).
• At a national level, Pakistan (14.2m) and DRC (11.6m) are among the top four countries expected to face high levels of stunting in the next seven years. Both nations are currently suffering with crisis levels of hunger or worse, with Pakistan grappling with 29% of its population in IPC 3+ and DRC with 25% of its population in IPC3+, as of August 31, 2023
• According to child population data from UNICEF, there are currently more than 148 million children under the age of 18 living in G7 countries (the US, France, Germany, Japan, the UK, Italy, and Canada), about 45 million less than the number of children projected to be born between now and 2030 who will suffer from stunted growth.

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