Malnutrition

ROME/NEW YORK, 12 July 2021 – There was a dramatic worsening of world hunger in 2020, the United Nations said today – much of it likely related to the fallout of COVID-19. While the pandemic’s impact has yet to be fully mapped, a multi-agency report estimates that around a tenth of the global population – up to 811 million people – were…

BANGUI, 7 July 2021 – At least 80,000 children under the age of five are currently at risk of severe acute malnutrition across the Central African Republic (CAR) – a 29 per cent increase compared to projections for 2021, UNICEF and the World Food Programme (WFP) said today. The UN agencies also warned that over 632,000 people – more than 1 in 8…

GENEVA, 15 June 2021 - "I would like to start by reading three paragraphs from a statement just out from UNICEF’s executive director: “At least 33,000 children in inaccessible parts of Tigray, Ethiopia, are severely malnourished and face imminent death without immediate help.  “In the last month alone, we have seen a four-fold increase in weekly…

ROME/NEW YORK, 10 June 2021 - The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and UNICEF call for urgent action to address the dramatic acute food insecurity in northern Ethiopia. The three agencies are particularly concerned about the situation in Tigray region where the risk of…

NEW YORK, 5 May 2021 – "Distinguished guests, colleagues, ladies and gentlemen. "On behalf of UNICEF, I extend thanks to the Global Network on Food Crisis for bringing us together to launch the report and to have this important conversation. "As the world grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic, we need to keep the spotlight on the scale and magnitude…

NEW YORK, 4 May 2021 – "Deputy Secretary-General. Honoured guests. Ladies and gentlemen. And a special greeting to the young people who have joined us.       "This event is a chance to think boldly and collectively about how to strengthen food systems in the future. And to hear from young people themselves. They have the biggest stake in the…

Two in three children between the ages of 6 months and two years are not getting the nutrients and food they need for healthy growth and development. Sadly, there has been no progress in improving children’s diets in the last decade. The poor quality of young children’s diets is the major driver of all forms of malnutrition – stunting, wasting,…, What are food systems?, Food systems are the public policy decisions; the national and global systems and supply chains; and the individuals and groups – public and private – that influence what we eat. They are important for two key reasons: What we eat – our diets – is one of the biggest drivers of health and well-being. This is especially the case for children. Good…, Why do food systems need reform?, A staggering two in three children between the ages of 6 months and two years  are not getting the diverse diets they need to grow up well, putting them at risk of malnutrition. Food systems are one of the major drivers of this. Too often driven by profit over purpose, decisions about what food is produced and how that food is processed, packaged…, Making change happen, Action on food systems can transform this situation – progress is possible. For example, over the past two decades, the number of undernourished children has fallen by one-third. We know we can continue this progress through collective action to: Improve the quality of what children eat. This includes mandatory quality standards for children’s…, The Food Systems Summit 2021, This is a critical moment to listen to the voices of children and young people. Not only does their future depend on a radical overhaul of our food systems, but they also have some of the best and brightest ideas about how these systems can better serve people and our planet. The UN Food Systems Summit , held during the UN General Assembly in New…

SANA’A/ADEN/ROME/NEW YORK/GENEVA, 12 February 2021- Nearly 2.3 million children under the age of five in Yemen are projected to suffer from acute malnutrition in 2021, four United Nations agencies warned today. Of these, 400,000 are expected to suffer from severe acute malnutrition and could die if they do not receive urgent treatment. The new…

Overweight and obesity are a growing threat to children’s well-being globally, largely driven by a trap of unhealthy and highly processed foods combined with a lack of physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Almost 40 million under-fives around the world have overweight, equivalent to nearly 6 per cent of this age group. Among children aged 5…

National governments have the primary responsibility of upholding children’s and women’s rights to nutrition. To do this effectively, they need strong, resilient systems that help prevent all forms of malnutrition and deliver timely treatment and care when prevention falls short. Multiple systems – including food, health and social protection –…, Resources, Publisher Title UNICEF UNICEF Nutrition Data UNICEF Nutrition Data UNICEF Food Systems for Children: UNICEF in Action for Food Systems Transformation Food Systems for Children: UNICEF in Action for Food Systems Transformation UNICEF Nutrition, for every child Nutrition, for Every Child: UNICEF Nutrition Strategy, 2020–2030 UNICEF The State of the…, UNICEF’s response, UNICEF’s State of the World’s Children 2019 State of the World’s Children 2019 report highlighted the failure of food systems to deliver nutritious, safe and affordable diets for children, and issued a call to action to realize every child’s right to adequate nutrition over the next decade. Our approach to transforming food systems is based on the…, Ten key actions to improve young children's diets, Food system 1. Increase the availability and affordability of nutritious foods – including fruits, vegetables, eggs, fish, meat and fortified foods – by incentivizing their production, distribution and retailing.  2. Implement national standards and legislation to protect young children from unhealthy processed and ultra-processed foods and…

Countries with poor nutrition governance have weak or limited policies protecting maternal and child nutrition – and few accountability mechanisms. Decision-making may be influenced by political or corporate interests rather than the nutrition needs and rights of children and women. In these settings, the most vulnerable are often least able to…, Resources, Publisher Title UNICEF Nutrition, for every child Nutrition, for Every Child: UNICEF Nutrition Strategy, 2020–2030 UNICEF The State of the World’s Children 2019 The State of the World’s Children, 2019: Children, food and nutrition UNICEF UNICEF Global Annual Results Report 2020: Goal Area 1 Nutrition, for Every Child: Global Annual Results Report…, UNICEF’s response, A man in Pakistan holds a child, in 2006. A man in Pakistan holds a child in 2006. UNICEF helps strengthen the capacities of governments for good nutrition governance. To do this, we convene strategic partnerships, UNICEF Data: Monitoring the situation of children and women generate data , share knowledge, advocate for children’s right to…

Emergencies around the world have become increasingly complex and protracted. Driven by conflict, climate change, Child nutrition and COVID-19 epidemics , and disasters, humanitarian crises are leaving millions of children and women malnourished and jeopardizing their survival, growth and development. Humanitarian crises are often characterized by…, Resources, Publisher Title UNICEF UNICEF Nutrition Data UNICEF Nutrition Data Global Nutrition Cluster Global Nutrition Cluster Global Nutrition Cluster Website Global Nutrition Cluster Technical Alliance Global Nutrition Cluster Technical Alliance Global Nutrition Cluster Technical Alliance Website UNICEF Core Commitments for Children Core Commitments to…, UNICEF’s response, Sham, 3 months old, receives her vaccinations in one of the UNICEF-supported health clinics in Azraq Refugee Camp, Jordan, in 2019. Three-month-old Sham receives her vaccinations in one of the UNICEF-supported health clinics in Azraq Refugee Camp, Jordan, in 2019. UNICEF’s actions to prevent and treat malnutrition during emergencies are guided by…