Save The Children Campaign Draws Attention to Rising Child Hunger

The Save the Children organization has launched a campaign to raise awareness of the increase in child hunger in the world, noting that the number of children born destined to go hungry increased by around 5% in 2024.

"Hunger knows no borders" and "erodes childhood, saps children's energy and risks robbing them of their future", said the organization's director of nutrition, Hannah Stephenson, adding: "Children should be free to play, learn and not have to worry about when their next meal will be".

Citing data from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Save the Children warned of the increase in the number of children born destined to go hungry, which increased by around 5% in 2024, compared to the previous year.

Last year, at least 18.2 million children were born hungry, or around 35 children every minute, according to an analysis by Save the Children.

The organization said in a statement that conflict, displacement, extreme weather events and the rising relative cost of food have contributed to the deterioration of child nutrition worldwide.

In the context of the launch of the "Survivors of Hunger" campaign, which was presented on Tuesday, the organization called on world leaders to secure more funding "to address the root causes of food insecurity, including work to reduce conflict, address the climate crisis and global inequality, and build more resilient health, nutrition and social protection systems."

Hannah Stephenson stressed the need for "immediate funding" and "safe access" to basic humanitarian services for children and families who "desperately need food, health care, clean water, sanitation and hygiene."

"Unless the root causes of hunger and malnutrition are addressed, we will continue to see a reversal of the progress made for children," she said.

The NGO also warned about the situation of babies born in countries at risk of famine or in "catastrophic" conditions of food insecurity, such as South Sudan, Haiti, Mali and Sudan, where "levels of hunger and malnutrition have spread throughout the territory".

According to Hannah Stephenson, in early November warnings were issued that it was "highly likely" that famine was imminent or already underway in the northern Gaza Strip and that 345,000 people could face "catastrophic" famine in the coming months.

"Children are always the most vulnerable in food crises and, without sufficient food and an adequate nutritional balance, they are at high risk of acute malnutrition. Malnutrition can cause stunted growth, delayed mental and physical development, increased risk of contracting life-threatening diseases and, ultimately, lead to death", the organization indicated.

Save the Children did not forget Madagascar, which has "one of the highest numbers of babies born in famine contexts, around 400,000 in 2024".