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	Humanitarian crisis, weather-related shocks fuel acute hunger in Africa by WFP, Red Cross, Red Crescent Societies, agencies   Mar. 2025   The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) warns that life-saving food and nutrition assistance in Central Sahel and Nigeria will halt in April 2025 without urgent funding. This warning comes as the lean season - the period between harvests when hunger peaks - is anticipated to arrive earlier than usual this year across the Sahel region. Millions, including refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs), still rely on WFP’s food assistance for survival.   In April 2025, funding shortfalls will force WFP to suspend food and nutrition assistance for 2 million crisis-affected people, including Sudanese refugees in Chad, Malian refugees in Mauritania, internally displaced persons, and vulnerable food-insecure families in Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and Nigeria.   The UN food agency urgently requires US$ 620 million to ensure continued support to crisis-affected people across the Sahel and in Nigeria over the next six months.   “The global shrinkage of foreign aid is posing a significant threat to our operations in Western Africa, especially in Central Sahel and Nigeria,” said Margot van der Velden, WFP’s Regional Director for Western Africa. “With millions expected to face emergency levels of hunger at the peak of the lean season, the world must step up support to prevent this situation from getting out of control. We need to act now to allow WFP to reach those in need with timely support. Inaction will have severe consequences for the region and beyond, as food security is national security,” van der Velden warned.   The latest Cadre Harmonise regional food security analysis, released in December 2024, shows that Western Africa is in the grips of an acute food security and nutrition crisis. An estimated 52.7 million women, men, and children are projected to experience acute hunger between June and August 2025.   This includes 3.4 million in emergency food insecurity (IPC-Phase 4) across the Sahel region and 2,600 in catastrophic hunger (IPC-Phase 5) in northern Mali. The hunger crisis in West Africa is driven by conflict, displacement, economic crises, and severe climate shocks, with devastating floods in 2024 affecting over six million people across the region.   Despite the ever-increasing needs in West and Central Africa, the proportion of the population facing extreme hunger (IPC Phases 4 and 5) is projected to increase by over 20 per cent by June 2025. However, the region remains chronically underfunded. As a result, WFP is forced to regularly make the difficult decision to cut rations, effectively taking from the hungry to feed the starving.   In Chad, the influx of refugees arriving from Sudan is placing enormous pressure on already limited resources, fueling tension and competition between communities. This is particularly concerning as Chad enters its sixth consecutive year of severe food insecurity in 2025, with 4.2 million people affected during the June-August lean season – a more than 200 percent increase compared to 2020.   In neighboring Nigeria, the prolonged humanitarian crisis, worsened by high inflation and weather-related shocks, is endangering the lives of children, pregnant women, and entire communities. During the June-August lean season, 33.1 million Nigerians are expected to face severe food shortages. Northeast Nigeria bears a particularly heavy burden, with 4.8 million people in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states facing acute hunger – an increase from 4.3 million in 2023.   “The West and Central Africa region has long been neglected in terms of international funding and attention. We need a paradigm shift to reverse the worsening trend of hunger and its impact on vulnerable women, men, and children,” van der Velden added.   http://www.wfp.org/news/millions-central-sahel-and-nigeria-risk-food-cuts-world-food-programme-faces-severe-funding http://www.wfp.org/news/somalia-faces-worsening-hunger-drought-conflict-and-high-food-prices-risk-pushing-1-million http://www.wfp.org/news/senior-un-aid-officials-sound-alarm-mozambiques-triple-crisis http://www.wfp.org/news/wfp-forced-pause-food-distributions-sudans-zamzam-camp-fighting-intensifies http://www.wfp.org/news/world-food-programme-warns-efforts-ramp-food-aid-famine-impacted-sudan-being-impeded http://www.wfp.org/news/wfp-alarmed-soaring-hunger-more-flee-displacement-camps-eastern-drc http://www.ifrc.org/press-release/red-cross-calls-urgent-funding-meet-growing-humanitarian-needs-drc http://www.icrc.org/en/article/eastern-democratic-republic-congo-living-scars-conflict http://www.ifrc.org/article/nourishing-futures-school-feeding-and-food-assistance-transform-lives-binga-zimbabwe http://www.ifrc.org/article/zambia-changing-lives-and-fighting-cholera-one-clean-drop-water-time http://www.icrc.org/en/article/somalia-child-malnutrition-surges http://www.icrc.org/en/article/special-appeal-food-security-in-conflict   June 2024   Escalation of humanitarian needs in West Africa far outstrips available resources. (WFP)   West and Central Africa is in the grips of a severe food security and nutrition crisis - with nearly 55 million people projected to face acute hunger during the June-August lean season – a fourfold increase on the 12.6 million people facing acute hunger in 2019. Malnutrition has also reached extraordinary levels, with an estimated 17 million acutely malnourished children under five.   “The alarming hunger crisis in the region underscores the urgent need for transformative solutions to help vulnerable families meet not only their immediate food needs but also build a brighter future,” said Chris Nikoi, WFP’s Regional Director for Western Africa.   “We need to continue prioritizing emergency response for those most in need. But we need more investment in sustainable solutions to help strengthen food security, improve agricultural productivity, purchasing power of families at the right time, and cushioning economic and climate shocks,” Nikoi added.   The hunger and nutrition crisis in West and Central Africa is driven by the intertwined impacts of conflicts, high food prices, and the impacts of the climate crisis. Economic shocks linked to market disruptions, high inflation and weakened economic activities, depreciating national currencies and increasing costs of fuel and agricultural inputs have inflicted a significant toll on people.   The World Food Programme (WFP) is ramping up its lifesaving food and nutrition assistance programme in West and Central Africa, targeting 7.3 million people during the ongoing June-August lean season – when food stocks run out and hunger peaks. The programme – which kicks off in June – supports national governments’ lean season response plans in Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, and Nigeria.   Dwindling resources available for humanitarian operations means that despite near-record level needs, WFP has been forced to assist less people than originally planned.   WFP’s lean season response aims to meet the immediate food and nutrition needs of those most exposed to acute hunger - including refugees, the most vulnerable displaced people, severely food insecure people, and people in blockaded areas adversely impacted by climatic, economic and security crises.   While the crises continue to increase in magnitude, frequency, and complexity in the region, funding to respond has not kept apace – leaving even some of those facing the most acute needs without assistance. As a result, millions of food insecure families are left without assistance, and at risk of sliding further into the most severe levels of hunger next year.   http://www.wfp.org/news/wfp-kicks-major-lean-season-response-west-africa-amid-dwindling-funding-humanitarian http://www.ifrc.org/nota-prensa/deadly-heatwave-sahel-and-west-africa-would-have-been-impossible-without-human-caused http://www.carbonbrief.org/climate-change-made-west-africas-dangerous-humid-heatwave-10-times-more-likely/ http://www.ifrc.org/emergencies/all http://www.ifrc.org/appeals http://www.icrc.org/en/article/icrc-appeals-operations-2025   June 2024   In response to the growing hunger crisis across sub-Saharan Africa, the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is amplifying its call to action amidst growing concerns of crisis fatigue.   This humanitarian crisis, intensified by recurring droughts, El Nino-induced floods, conflicts and economic downturns, demands an immediate response to prevent widespread suffering, loss of lives and livelihoods.   Despite early warnings from African Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies, more funding and resources are needed. The Horn of Africa has been particularly hard-hit, enduring its longest dry spell on record with five consecutive dry seasons.   The mix of extreme weather conditions, along with ongoing conflicts, has led to varied harvest outcomes across the continent.   Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers are witnessing heart-wrenching conditions where many, including women and children, survive on less than one meal a day.   Mohamed Omer Mukhier, Regional Director for Africa, emphasized the continued urgency:   “In the past year, the dire need for resources in tackling the current hunger crisis has been evident with millions of people deprived of water, food and health services. While this crisis has intensified, it has been largely overshadowed by more visible crises over the past year. Considering its magnitude across the continent, we urgently call for expanded support to pursue our collective lifesaving and life-sustaining mobilization.”   These countries are currently at the heart of the hunger crisis: Angola, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Djibouti, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Malawi, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania and Zimbabwe.   June 2024   Africa Hunger crisis - IFRC Operational Update   By February 2023, the hunger crisis in Africa reached critical levels, with approximately 146 million people facing crisis or worse levels of acute food insecurity across sub-Saharan Africa. This crisis was driven by a confluence of climatic shocks, including prolonged droughts and recurrent flooding, compounded by conflicts, economic downturns, and the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.   These global and local factors severely impacted communities, pre-existing vulnerabilities such as poverty and marginalization, and disproportionately affected vulnerable groups including women, children, the elderly, people with disabilities, and those in single or childheaded households.   In the Horn of Africa, the situation was particularly dire. The Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) reported five consecutive dry seasons, marking the longest dry spell ever recorded in the region.   In Somalia, an estimated 8.3 million people were projected to face Crisis (IPC Phase 3) or worse conditions by mid-2023, with famine expected in rural parts of Baidoa and displaced populations in Baidoa Town. Despite ongoing humanitarian efforts, acute food insecurity and malnutrition levels were anticipated to deteriorate further without sustained food assistance.   The broader Eastern African region was also facing significant challenges. The poor performance of the March-May 2022 rainy season was followed by delayed and irregular rains, affecting crop production and rangeland conditions. In Ethiopia, the Meher season harvest concluded with below-average yields due to prolonged conflict and dry conditions, while widespread flooding in Sudan and South Sudan disrupted agricultural activities.   Southern Africa was seeing mixed conditions with increasing dryness affecting countries like Angola, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Madagascar, potentially threatening the main season cereal output.   The African Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies launched emergency appeals in response to these crises. Seventeen national societies then engaged with limited resources, highlighting a critical need for more funding to scale up the response.   Currently, Angola struggles with severe drought, impacting food insecurity, affecting approximately 1.58 million people in the southern provinces, exacerbated by the worst drought in 40 years. In Burkina Faso, over 2.27 million people face severe food insecurity due to a combination of armed conflict and inadequate agricultural production, especially in regions bordering Niger.   In Cameroon, food insecurity has worsened, affecting over 3.2 million people nationwide due to internal conflicts and extreme weather events. Djibouti faces a critical hunger crisis, with approximately 192,168 people projected to face acute food insecurity due to compounded risk factors including drought and global economic impacts.   The Democratic Republic of Congo confronts one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises, affecting millions due to ongoing conflict, displacement, and climatic adversities.   Ethiopia is in a protracted crisis with 28.6 million people needing humanitarian assistance. Conflicts, climate shocks, and economic instability led to massive food insecurity and displacement. Madagascar's Grand Sud experienced worsening food insecurity, with significant numbers facing acute malnutrition and restricted access to food due to poor weather conditions and economic factors.   In Mali, the food crisis persisted with a projection of increased food insecurity affecting millions due to climatic hazards, armed conflicts, and socio-political unrest. Niger saw a rise in food insecurity, with over 4 million people affected due to adverse weather, disease outbreaks, and insecurity impacting agricultural and pastoral activities.   Nigeria grappled with a severe hunger crisis, particularly in the northern region, driven by conflict, economic difficulties, and climate-related disruptions. Somalia faced significant food insecurity with millions affected. Conditions are slightly improving due to better rainfall, but the overall situation remains critical due to ongoing conflict and climatic shocks.   Considering the alarming food crisis in Sub-Saharan Africa, the Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF) Operational Review of October 2023 underscored the critical need for enhanced efforts in addressing the complex challenges.   It advocated for integration of sustainable solutions, improved project monitoring, and innovative resource mobilization strategies to bolster the effectiveness of operations and ensure sustainability of actions. By focusing on long-term planning, enhancing coordination, and promoting the new DREF modality for slow-onset crises, the recommendations aimed to fortify the response to the hunger crisis across the prioritized countries.   The review's findings emphasized the importance of addressing both the immediate and underlying causes of food insecurity, to ensure a comprehensive and resilient approach to mitigating the impacts of this unprecedented crisis.   The Southern part of Africa is also facing an exacerbated drought crisis. Since November 2023, the El Nino weather phenomenon has brought high temperatures and below-average rainfall to southern Africa, with significant negative impacts on agriculture, leading to water scarcity, food shortages, and disease outbreaks.   The drought began in Botswana in October 2023 and has gradually intensified and spread to Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Namibia, affecting most of southern Africa today. In the last month and a half, the governments of Zambia, Malawi, and Zimbabwe have declared states of emergency.   With the resources available, Red Cross-National Societies in Southern Africa provided the support they could to some of the most affected communities in the region. However, more support is urgently needed to provide immediate relief and avert an even worse situation soon.   The Southern African National Societies are responding through a combination of existing emergency appeals in Malawi, Zimbabwe, Angola, and Madagascar, and DREF operations in Eswatini and Zambia, and are currently appealing for funding to meet the most urgent needs of 1.4 million people. Based on recent assessments and requests for support, the Africa Region Office is preparing emergency appeals for Zambia and Mozambique. For the other countries in Southern Africa, the exact needs are being assessed on an ongoing basis and, if necessary, they will also be supported through operations or emergency appeals.   All operations are based on food security and livelihoods, health and nutrition and water sanitation and hygiene. As well coordination, humanitarian diplomacy, protection and gender inclusion and community engagement and accountability were considered key enablers.   http://reliefweb.int/report/nigeria/africa-hunger-crisis-operational-update-5-mgr60001 http://reliefweb.int/report/world/urgent-call-action-address-historic-el-nino-drought-southern-africa http://reliefweb.int/report/somalia/global-report-food-crises-2024-regional-focus-igad-member-states http://reliefweb.int/report/angola/humanitarian-impact-el-nino-southern-africa-key-messages-march-2024 http://www.unicef.org/zimbabwe/press-releases/rising-heat-drought-and-disease-climate-crisis-poses-grave-risks-children-eastern http://www.care-international.org/news/record-breaking-dry-spell-leading-starvation-water-shortages-southern-africa http://www.oxfam.org/en/press-releases/over-24-million-people-southern-africa-face-hunger-malnutrition-and-water-scarcity-0 http://www.icrc.org/en/document/food-crisis-soaring-across-africa http://www.icrc.org/en/what-we-do/economic-security Visit the related web page
	Hunger named most concerning issue facing children by Save the Children, UNICEF, agencies   Dec. 2023   Hunger is the most concerning issue affecting children around the world this year, according to almost half of adults surveyed in almost every continent by Save the Children.   The survey of more than 25,000 adults between September and October was the largest global audience insights study of its kind for the aid agency, and reflects the urgency of the hunger crisis that has been sweeping across the world due to a combination of the climate crisis, conflict, and economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic.   The study found that 45% of adults surveyed in 13 countries believe hunger is the issue affecting children the most in their country and globally.   Save the Children conducted the survey in a range of high-, middle- and low-income countries, such as Canada, Egypt, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Mexico, Nigeria, Norway, South Africa, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States.   Survey participants could choose up to three options from a list of 10 issues affecting children. ‘Poverty’ emerged a close second to hunger at 40% of respondents identifying it as a primary concern they have for children, followed by ‘violence towards children’ at about 39%.   When children are directly asked about the issues affecting them, climate change takes centre stage. Last year, Save the Children found that 83% of children in 15 countries reported witnessing climate change or inequality, or both, affecting the world around them.   Children at the COP28 Climate conference said that growing up is hard enough, let alone now having to worry about the ripple effects of the climate crisis.   “It’s not just about rain and sunshine; it’s about how these changes make life so much harder. Children stop dreaming about their futures because they have to focus on finding food and water instead,” 16-year-old Nafiso, from Somalia, said at COP28. “The scary part is that even though everyone feels the effects of climate change, children are the ones who suffer the most.”   Globally, about 20% of people surveyed reported ‘conflict and war’ was among their top concerns for children. The survey was conducted before the escalation of violence in the occupied Palestinian territory and Israel on 7 October.   Conflicts, economic instability, and repeated climate shocks have fueled a devastating hunger crisis around the world, with an average of 33 children born into hunger every minute in 2023.   The hunger crisis has continued largely unabated in places such Sudan, Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, which have a combined 7.8 million children facing emergency levels of hunger — just one step away from starvation, death, and extremely critical acute malnutrition levels.   However, hunger extends beyond just conflict-affected countries. Extreme weather events drove at least 27 million children into hunger last year. In addition, a deepening cost-of-living crisis is pushing adequate and nutritious food further out of reach for many families in the U.S., the U.K., and much of Europe.   Alexandra Saieh, Head of Humanitarian Advocacy and Policy at Save the Children, said:   “It is abundantly clear that hunger is a concern for children worldwide. These findings underscore the need for immediate action and collective efforts to address the global hunger crisis and improve the well-being of children everywhere.   “It is vital we not only address the immediate needs of the global hunger crisis but also tackle the root causes, including conflict, poverty, and climate change. We’re seeing hunger used as a method of warfare in many contexts. This is a global crisis and requires a global solution. Without this, hunger will continue to destroy dreams and eat away at childhoods everywhere.”   Save the Children is calling on world leaders 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 protection systems that are less vulnerable to shocks like COVID-19, conflicts, and the climate crisis, will we be able to ensure the same warnings are not ringing out again in the coming years.   Save the Children is also calling for greater collaboration between governments, development and humanitarian organisations, climate groups, and the private sector. Children and other community members need to be able to have their say in these discussions.   No sector or intervention alone can respond to the many causes and vulnerabilities leading to food and nutrition insecurity, but combined, the impact will be more effective, efficient and at scale.   http://www.savethechildren.net/news/hunger-named-most-concerning-issue-facing-children-2023-global-survey   Dec. 2023   Humanitarian Action for Children Appeal 2024 (UNICEF)   Across the globe, children and families are facing unprecedented humanitarian crises. Around 300 million people are in desperate need of humanitarian assistance and protection as devastating earthquakes, climate-related disasters, disease outbreaks and new and surging conflicts have left tens of millions of children and their families reeling.   But despite the record needs, the situation isn’t hopeless. We know how to reach the children at greatest risk. Decisive and timely humanitarian action combined with flexible funding and close work with local partners can save children’s lives now, while also sowing the seeds of future development.   Through its 2024 Humanitarian Action for Children appeal, UNICEF is appealing for funding support to reach 94 million children with life-saving assistance – whenever and wherever it is needed.   “Millions of children continue to be caught in humanitarian crises that are growing in complexity and scale, and that are increasingly stretching our resources to respond,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell.   The unpredictability, volatility, and protracted nature of emergencies today is taking a heavy toll on children and families. From earthquakes in Afghanistan, Syria and Turkiye, to conflict and violence in Ukraine, Sudan, the State of Palestine and Haiti, to massive displacement in Democratic Republic of the Congo, emergencies can strike or escalate with little or no warning.   In conflict zones, children endure the harsh realities of violence and displacement, facing the daily threats of physical harm, emotional trauma, and the disruption of their education and essential services. At the same time, children in areas affected by violence contend with the pervasive impact on their well-being, grappling with the psychological toll of instability, and the heightened risk of exploitation and abuse.   "Around the world, war continues to upend the lives of children. We estimate that today, 460 million children are living in, or fleeing from conflict zones. And wherever violence occurs – in places like Burkina Faso, Haiti, Sudan – children suffer first, and they suffer most.   "Many children living in areas affected by conflict are injured or killed. They may lose family members or friends. With many displaced multiple times, risking separation from their families, losing critical years of education, and fraying ties to their communities. I have seen firsthand too much of the horrible toll that conflict exacts on children.   Climate change is worsening the scale and intensity of emergencies. Wreaking havoc on young lives by causing severe droughts, heatwaves and more intense storms. In regions struggling with its impacts, children bear the brunt of environmental challenges, jeopardizing their health, creating food and water insecurity.   Food insecurity like that experienced in the Horn of Africa. Or the 2.4 million children in South Sudan and the central Sahel who suffered from severe wasting in 2023 because of drought linked to climate change.   It’s critical that UNICEF and local partners have support, so that children living through an emergency can have the life-saving aid and protection they need, where and when they need it. Timely and flexible funding can help save lives today, while also allowing UNICEF and partners to respond effectively to new and emerging risks before it’s too late or even more costly.   The 2024 appeal includes support for major crises in Afghanistan, Syrian Refugees, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Ukraine. Critically underfunded emergencies include Burkina Faso, Myanmar, Haiti, Ethiopia, Yemen, Somalia, South Sudan and Bangladesh.   “UNICEF and partners are committed to providing a comprehensive response to the many humanitarian crises affecting children, including the impacts of conflicts, climate change and natural disasters,” said Russell. “Children should not be paying with their lives and their futures. They need continued access to essential services, like health care, safe water, basic sanitation and education".   "Working together through principled humanitarian action, we can reach the most vulnerable children, offering them the support they need for a brighter future".   http://www.unicef.org/emergencies/launch-2024-humanitarian-appeal http://www.unicef.org/appeals http://www.unicef.org/emergencies/13-emergencies-need-more-attention-support-2024 http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/2024-looms-increasingly-bleak-children-affected-armed-conflicts-and-disasters-unicef   Nov. 2023   Child rights and wellbeing campaigners have urged African governments to take immediate action to end child poverty and hunger across the continent. The call comes as new research reveals Africa is home to nearly 60 percent of the world’s poor children.   Two new reports from the African Child Policy Forum (ACPF) show that African children are the poorest in the world, and that they are getting poorer. At the same time, 55 million African children under the age of five are stunted due to malnutrition. In the Horn of Africa nearly two million children are at risk of starvation, and in the Sahel, seven million are suffering severe hunger.   “There appears to be no end in sight to Africa’s child poverty and hunger crisis,” said ACPF Executive Director Dr Joan Nyanyuki. “Across the continent, millions of children face hunger, slow starvation and even death. African governments must take their responsibilities seriously and ramp up their investment in eradicating poverty and hunger.   “Child hunger is fundamentally a political problem, and I refuse to accept that it is either inevitable or insoluble. Time after time we have pointed out to governments that poverty and hunger are not only a humanitarian crisis, they are a huge drag on social and economic development. It is governments’ own interests to put and end to them.”   In an effort to galvanise African governments into action, ACPF have released two new reports: the African Report on Child Wellbeing 2023 Justice not Charity: African Governments Must End Child Poverty and No End in Sight: Child Hunger in Africa.   352 million African children - more than half of all the children in the continent - live in multidimensional poverty. Of these, six in every ten experience severe forms of poverty.   Another 110 million African children are on the brink of poverty, at significant risk of being tipped into it by the illness of a parent or caregiver, or by drought, conflict, displacement or economic crisis.   More than half of African children living in extreme poverty live in six countries: Nigeria, Ethiopia, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Tanzania, Uganda and Niger.   In South Sudan and Niger, almost every child faces severe deprivations in almost every aspect of their wellbeing.   Of the 600 million children in Africa, 90 percent lack a minimum acceptable diet and 60 percent lack minimum meal frequency. Girls, children living in urban slums or remote rural areas, children living in conflict zones, children with disabilities, and children affected by HIV/AIDS are among the most deprived groups facing a greater risk of severe poverty.   Most African countries fail to provide for the basic needs of children and to deliver basic services to them. Of the 52 countries assessed only 14 have above average scores for addressing child deprivation and poverty.   “Poverty leads to hunger, which in turn leads to greater poverty,” added Dr Nyanyuki. “This vicious circle threatens Africa’s future economic and social prosperity. Poverty and hunger damage a child’s cognitive development, physical health and growth, educational outcomes and future employment opportunities. Their impacts last a lifetime. Tackling the root causes of child undernutrition is crucial for the social and economic transformation of Africa. The performance of African governments in addressing child poverty is poor and unacceptable.”   ACPF urged African governments to adopt a six point action plan as a matter of urgency:   Recognise child hunger and undernutrition as a national emergency. Integrate child rights into national development planning. Invest in high-quality pre-primary and primary education. Improve access to and the quality of maternal and child health services. Establish universal child-sensitive social protection programmes. Strengthen governance and accountability.   “Failure to address child undernutrition costs countries a significant proportion of their annual gross domestic product and hinders post pandemic recovery. Healthy and well-nourished children tend to be better educated, get better jobs, and earn, save and invest more - all of which are critical for Africa’s economic growth and prosperity,” concluded Dr Nyanyuki.   * African Report on Child Wellbeing 2023: Justice not Charity: African Governments Must End Child Poverty. African Child Policy Forum (140pp): http://tinyurl.com/2vju669w   http://africacenter.org/spotlight/unresolved-conflicts-continue-to-drive-africas-food-crisis/ http://www.fao.org/documents/card/en/c/cc8743en http://www.actionagainsthunger.org/press-releases/action-against-hunger-calls-on-african-union-summit-to-prioritize-conflict-resolution-and-gender-equality/ http://resourcecentre.savethechildren.net/document/the-most-affected-why-childrens-voices-must-be-at-the-heart-of-the-food-and-nutrition-crisis-response/ http://theconversation.com/development-aid-cuts-will-hit-fragile-countries-hard-could-fuel-violent-conflict-215914 http://theconversation.com/climate-change-alarming-africa-wide-report-predicts-30-drop-in-crop-revenue-50-million-without-water-224543   http://reliefweb.int/report/world/joining-forces-east-and-southern-africa-region-education-all-children-africa-time-now http://actionaid.org/publications/2024/over-18-million-girls-missing-school-africa-continent-loses-usd29-billion http://www.savethechildren.net/news/education-africa-violent-attacks-against-schools-rose-20-2023   http://www.hrw.org/news/2024/04/26/african-governments-falling-short-healthcare-funding http://debtjustice.org.uk/press-release/africa-experiencing-worst-debt-crisis-in-a-generation http://actionaid.org/publications/2023/fifty-years-failure-imf-debt-and-austerity-africa http://theconversation.com/african-countries-lost-control-to-foreign-mining-companies-the-3-steps-that-allowed-this-to-happen-218437
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