The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
As Somalia is suffering from one of its worst droughts in recent times, UNICEF warned today that 1.4 million children – nearly half of the country’s under five population - are likely to suffer from acute malnutrition out of which 330,000 children will require treatment for severe acute malnutrition. Funding is immediately needed to procure nutrition supplies and avert deaths, said UNICEF's Communication Chief in Somalia when speaking at a news briefing at the United Nations in Geneva.
“The time to act is NOW. And when the international community waits until the famine is declared, as we learned from 2011, that's probably a bit too late”, said Victor Chinyama, UNICEF’s Communication Chief in Somalia. He added that “a lot of the mortality happens before the famine is declared. And, of course, we know that when you begin to see malnutrition go up and then that is compounded by an outbreak such as measles or cholera, mortality very, very quickly escalates.”
UNICEF is appealing for US$48 million and urgently needs US$7 million by the end of March 2022 to procure 104,000 cartons of Ready-to-Use Therapeutics Foods for the treatment of children with severe acute malnutrition.
The Horn of Africa (Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia) is currently experiencing its worst droughts in recent history after three consecutive seasons of failed rains and with potentially facing a fourth one between March-May 2022.
According to UNICEF’s Victor Chinyama “Somalia is the most affected with about 90% of the country undergoing a severe drought. And data that was released last week shows that about 4.1 million people in Somalia will need urgent humanitarian support and that is a quarter of the entire population of 16 million.”
He added that “1.4 million children are likely to suffer from acute malnutrition and of those about 330,000 require treatment for severe acute malnutrition.”
A critical shortage of water has left 2.6 million people in need of urgent water supply with water prices have gone up by 72 %. A lack of water heightens disease outbreaks, such as measles and cholera.
“We know that the lack of water also gives rise to other risks, particularly of diseases outbreaks. And we have a measles outbreak in Baidoa. But also, measles has been reported among Somali refugees that are living in Ethiopia. So, this year, for example, we're looking at 7,500 reported cases of measles”, said UNICEF’s Communication chief.
The risk of a severely wasted child dying from measles is 11 times higher than for a well-nourished child. So spikes in diseases such as cholera and measles are clear danger signs for children.
In order to survive, families are taking desperate measures. Since November, about 500,000 people have been displaced in search of food, water and pasture, adding to the 2,9 million already internally displaced.
“We know that when people flee their homes from the 2011 and 2017 drought, they're the most vulnerable. Certainly, the highest numbers of deaths were recorded among people that had been displaced and had moved to other areas in search of humanitarian assistance”, reported Victor Chinyama.
As drought exacerbates protection risks for children, UNICEF is worried about sexual exploitation and abuse as well as child marriage. In 2021, 1,200 children (including 45 girls) were recruited and used by armed groups, 1,000 children were abducted.
“That one issue that worries us in terms of the risks that children are exposed to such as sexual violence, exploitation, gender-based violence. And in the context of Somalia, we cannot talk about displacement risks without addressing the specter of children being abducted and recruited by armed groups, for example, such as Al-Shabaab.”
-end-
- Exterior wide shot, United Nations Palace of Nations, Geneva. UN flag alley with flags flying.
- Wide shot, press room UN Geneva.
- SOUNDBITE (English): Victor Chinyama, UNICEF’s Chief of Communication in Somalia: “The time to act is NOW. And when the international community waits until the famine is declared, as we learned from 2011, that's probably a bit too late. A lot of the mortality happens before the famine is declared. And, of course, we know that when you begin to see malnutrition go up and then that is compounded by an outbreak such as measles or cholera, mortality very, very quickly escalates.”
- Medium shot, masked participants listening.
- SOUNDBITE (English): Victor Chinyama, UNICEF’s Chief of Communication in Somalia: “Somalia is the most affected with about 90% of the country undergoing a severe drought. And data that was released last week shows that about 4.1 million people in Somalia will need urgent humanitarian support and that is a quarter of the entire population of 16 million.”
- Close-up shot, fingers typing at the keyboard of laptop
- SOUNDBITE (English): Victor Chinyama, UNICEF’s Chief of Communication in Somalia: “4 million children are likely to suffer from acute malnutrition and of those about 330,000 require treatment for severe acute malnutrition.”
- Medium shot, masked participants listening
- SOUNDBITE (English): Victor Chinyama, UNICEF’s Chief of Communication in Somalia: “We know that the lack of water also gives rise to other risks, particularly of diseases outbreaks. And we have a measles outbreak in Baidoa. But also, measles has been reported among Somali refugees that are living in Ethiopia. So, this year, for example, we're looking at 7,500 reported cases of measles.”
- Medium shot, participants sitting in front of the desk, with camera on the rear.
- SOUNDBITE (English): Victor Chinyama, UNICEF’s Chief of Communication in Somalia: “We know that when people flee their homes from the 2011 and 2017 drought, they're the most vulnerable. Certainly, the highest numbers of deaths were recorded among people that had been displaced and had moved to other areas in search of humanitarian assistance.”
- Medium shot, masked participants listening carefully with TV screen on the rear.
- SOUNDBITE (English): Victor Chinyama, UNICEF’s Chief of Communication in Somalia: “That one issue that worries us in terms of the risks that children are exposed to such as sexual violence, exploitation, gender-based violence. And in the context of Somalia, we cannot talk about displacement risks without addressing the specter of children being abducted and recruited by armed groups, for example, such as Al-Shabaab.”
- Medium shot, camera on the front with TV screen showing the podium speakers on the rear
- Close-up shot, participant taking notes on the notebook.
- Close-up shot, participant pointing at the laptop screen displaying the press briefing.
Similar Stories
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO
No evacuation order given before Kamal Adwan Hospital strike, says WHO
One of the last partially functional health centres in northern Gaza was reportedly hit again overnight into Friday by several strikes, leaving four health workers among the casualties and the dead, according to the UN World Health Organization (WHO).
2
1
2
Edited News , Press Conferences | OCHA
More than 280,000 people have been uprooted in northwest Syria in a matter of days following the sudden and massive offensive into Government-controlled areas led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which is sanctioned by the Security Council as a terrorist group.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk has called on the Georgian authorities to respect and protect the rights to freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly following several nights of protests that were marred by violence, and dispersed using disproportionate, and in some cases unnecessary, force by the police in the capital, Tbilisi.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said today he was extremely concerned about the recent escalation in hostilities in northwest Syria, which further compounds the suffering endured by millions of civilians.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , WHO , OCHA
Syria escalation: Civilians face deadly attacks, health care in distress and aid access compromised
The ongoing escalation of violence in northwest Syria linked to the wider conflict in Gaza and Lebanon has left civilians dead and injured, hospitals “overwhelmed” and attacks on healthcare on the rise, the UN warned on Tuesday.
2
1
4
Press Conferences , Edited News | OCHA
Multiple unending conflicts, climate change and a glaring disregard for long-established international humanitarian law are set to leave a staggering 305 million people in need of lifesaving assistance next year, the UN’s top aid official warned on Wednesday.
Embargo Wednesday, 4 December 2024 at 0600 CET / 0000 ET
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
The UN Rights Office on Friday warned about the plight of civilians in Ukraine after further attacks on the country’s energy infrastructure.
1
1
1
Edited News | ITU
An international panel has been set up to protect undersea communications cables that are crucial for international trade and security, the UN International Telecommunication Union (ITU) said on Friday. The creation of the International Advisory Body for Submarine Cable Resilience comes amid an ongoing investigation into the severing of two fibre optic cables in the Baltic Sea, in less than 24 hours between 17 and 18 November.
2
1
2
Press Conferences , Edited News | ITU
An estimated 5.5 billion people have access to the internet in 2024, an increase of 227 million people based on revised estimates for 2023, the UN specialized agency for telecommunications, ITU, said on Wednesday.
2
1
2
Press Conferences , Edited News | UNAIDS
Launch of World AIDS Day Report 2024—Take The Rights Path
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
A joint report issued this morning by the UN Human Rights Office and the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) paints a disturbing picture of the media landscape in the country since the Taliban takeover. UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk says.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR
UN human rights chief Volker Türk lent his weight to growing ceasefire calls in Lebanon on Tuesday, amid reports that the senior Israeli cabinet members were due to meet on a deal to end more than a year of conflict with Hezbollah militants, sparked by the war in Gaza