The severe drought affecting much of Southern Africa is endangering the lives of hundreds of thousands of children in the six hardest-hit countries, UNICEF reported on Thursday.
Over 270,000 children are anticipated to experience severe acute malnutrition (SAM) in 2024 due to this crisis.
El Niño-related weather conditions, including extremely low rainfall, have led Lesotho to declare a national food disaster, joining Botswana, Malawi, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe in similar declarations.
UNICEF Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa, Etleva Kadilli, said that: “The humanitarian needs children are facing due to El Niño are extremely concerning.”
The UN official added that: “Increasing food insecurity and malnutrition, difficulties in accessing safe water and sanitation, and risks of disease outbreaks such as cholera are serious threats. Thousands of children are at risk of irreversible health and growth impacts due to this climate-related crisis, and this warning should not be ignored by the international community.”
In Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, 7.4 million children are experiencing food poverty, with over 2 million subsisting on diets that include at most two food groups.
The drought has worsened conditions across Southern Africa, leading to crop and livestock losses due to a lack of pasture and water.
According to multiple news reports, climate shocks in Southern Africa severely affect vulnerable children, reducing the quantity, diversity, and quality of available food; impacting child care; and disrupting access to clean and safe water, exposing children to life-threatening diseases such as diarrhea.
