UNICEF: Global funding cuts put 14 million children at risk of malnutrition
UNICEF has warned that at least 14 million children could face disruptions in nutrition programmes.
Millions of children around the world are at risk of severe malnutrition due to global funding cuts that threaten essential nutrition support and services.
UNICEF has warned that at least 14 million children could face disruptions in nutrition programmes, putting them in danger of severe health complications and even death.
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The crisis comes at a time when children are already struggling with record levels of displacement, prolonged conflicts, disease outbreaks, and the worsening effects of climate change. These challenges have made it increasingly difficult for children to access proper nutrition.
“Over the last decades, we have made impressive progress in reducing child malnutrition globally because of a shared commitment and sustained investment,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell on Thursday.
“Since 2000, the number of stunted children under the age of five has fallen by 55 million, and the lives of millions of severely malnourished children have been saved. But steep funding cuts will dramatically reverse these gains and put the lives of millions more children at risk,” she added.
Funding cuts across 17 high-priority countries are expected to have devastating effects. More than 2.4 million children suffering from severe acute malnutrition could be left without access to Ready-to-use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) for the rest of 2025.
Additionally, up to 2,300 stabilisation centers that provide critical care for children with severe wasting and medical complications could shut down or drastically reduce services.
Almost 28,000 UNICEF-supported outpatient therapeutic centers for treating malnutrition are also at risk of closure, with some already ceasing operations.
Even before the funding cuts, the number of pregnant and breastfeeding women and adolescent girls suffering from acute malnutrition had surged from 5.5 million to 6.9 million since 2020.
These figures are expected to rise unless urgent action is taken by donors and national governments.
UNICEF is calling on governments and donors to increase investments in health and nutrition programs for children.
The organisation is urging national governments to allocate more funding to domestic nutrition and health services.
“Good nutrition is the foundation of child survival and development, with impressive returns on investment. Dividends will be measured in stronger families, societies, and countries, and a more stable world,” said Russell.
To tackle child and maternal malnutrition in the long run, UNICEF launched the Child Nutrition Fund (CNF) in 2023 with support from the UK Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, the Gates Foundation, and the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation.
UNICEF continues to appeal to governments, partners, and philanthropic donors to support this fund and other flexible financing options for children and women.
Without immediate intervention, millions of children will be left vulnerable to malnutrition, threatening years of progress made in the fight against child hunger and malnutrition.
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