A recent global survey conducted by Save the Children has revealed a disturbing reality, indicating that hunger has become the most pressing issue facing children worldwide.
The survey, encompassing over 25,000 respondents across 13 countries, highlights the devastating impact of food insecurity on children’s lives.
Hunger emerged as the leading concern for children, with 45% of adults identifying it as the top issue both locally and globally. This alarming figure was closely followed by poverty (40%) and violence towards children (39%), demonstrating the multitude of challenges children face.
The survey revealed a disparity between adult and child perspectives on environmental concerns. It noted that while adults expressed less concern about climate change and natural disasters, a separate Save the Children study found that 83% of children across 15 countries reported witnessing climate change impacts firsthand.
This disparity highlights the need to prioritize children’s voices in addressing global challenges.
The survey further exposed the dire consequences of conflict, economic instability, and climate change on children’s well-being:
A staggering 33 children fall victim to hunger every minute, underscoring the crisis’s immense magnitude. Countries like Sudan, Afghanistan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo face immense challenges, with 7.8 million children teetering on the brink of starvation.
27 million children are plunged into hunger by extreme weather events, further exacerbating the crisis. Even developed countries are not immune, with rising living costs hindering families’ access to nutritious food, exposing the hunger crisis’s global reach.
Advocating immediate action to curb the menace, 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.”
