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 | OHCHR , UNOG
The appointment on Thursday of Karla Quintana as head of the Independent Institution on Missing Persons in the Syrian Arab Republic is a key development after nearly a year and a half of work by the UN Human Rights Office supporting the institution’s launch.
1
1
1
Edited News | IOM , UNICEF , UNRWA , WHO
The head of the UN migration agency stressed on Friday that Syria is in no position to take back millions of Syrians following the fall of the Assad regime, while there is an urgent need to “re-evaluate” sanctions impacting the war-ravaged country.
1
1
1
Edited News | IIIM , UNHCR
Syria: ‘Key priority’ is to preserve evidence of crimes – UN investigators
In Syria, new access to evidence of horrific human rights violations means that accountability may be closer than ever – if only proof can be preserved, a top UN investigator said on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OSE , ICRC , UNHCR
Syria: UN and partners urge action to preserve evidence of prison atrocities, stabilize country
Since the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria five days ago, hundreds of people have rushed to Saydnaya prison, desperate to find loved ones. Disturbing images from the prison and other detention centers have since surfaced, exposing the “unimaginable barbarity Syrians have endured for years,” said Jenifer Fenton, spokesperson for the UN special envoy for Syria, on Friday.
1
1
2
Edited News | UNRWA
Gaza: “Sickening normalisation” of suffering, amid attacks on people and aid convoys
Ongoing military operations by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) in Gaza continue to devastate Palestinian children and families, with mounting casualties and a critical lack of humanitarian aid for the desperate population.
“Local media reporting here that last night, 30 people were killed in this area in strikes” said a senior emergency officer with the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), Louise Wateridge, speaking to reporters in Geneva from central Gaza.
2
1
2
Press Conferences , Edited News | OHCHR
Rights experts call for end to impunity for Israel’s violations of international law
Four independent human rights experts have jointly called for the international community to sanction Israel’s conduct of hostilities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory as well as in the wider Middle East region - including in Syria, Lebanon and Iran. They also called for the restoration of trust in the international justice system through the abandonment of “extreme interpretations” and “double standards” in the application of the universal norms regulating the conduct of war.
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA , UNHCR
Syria: needs continue to grow amid highly uncertain situation, say aid teams
The historic power shift in Syria and the still volatile situation two days after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime have increased humanitarian needs in a country where nearly 17 million people, including millions of internally displaced, already depended on humanitarian aid before the recent events, UN aid teams said on Tuesday.
2
1
3
Edited News , Press Conferences | OSES
Barely 48 hours since opposition forces including Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) swept into Damascus and forced out President Bashar al-Assad, the top UN negotiator tasked with helping Syrians’ create a peaceful and democratic future insisted that nothing could be taken for granted.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Monday called on States to do all in their power to end senseless conflicts and suffering.
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.