Press
Centre
UNICEF mobilizing emergency operation as
millions of children and women are threatened by famine
in Southern Africa
NEW YORK, 26 June 2002
- The United Nations Children's Fund is gearing up to
provide assistance to Southern Africa, which is poised
on the brink of a major humanitarian crisis.
According to UN assessments, as many as
12.8 million people, including 2.3 million under five
years of age, will require food assistance from now through
March 2003 due to a combination of harsh climatic conditions,
poor management of food reserves and political and economic
instability.
UNICEF's efforts in the affected countries - Lesotho,
Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe - focus
on supplying vital nutrition to children and mothers.
UNICEF's efforts stretch beyond satisying nutritional
needs. Health, water and sanitation, education and the
protection of children from kidnapping, sexual abuse and
other forms of exploitation are flash points that touch
the most vulnerable - the children.
- During famine, crippling and deadly diseases such
measles, cholera and polio spread more rapidly and threaten
children. In response, UNICEF is widening immunization
and prevention efforts to contain the scourges.
- Helping families to keep their children enrolled in
school is of vital importance. As the economic pressure
pushes families to extremes, children may leave school
to help out. Some children will be orphaned and drop
out to help support siblings. School feeding programmes
are one of the main ways that UNICEF ensures that no
child goes hungry or forgotten.
- The HIV/AIDS epidemic, which affects 16 per cent
to 25 per cent of the population in the region, greatly
exacerbates the challenges children confront from the
food crisis. Poor nutrition weakens or kills HIV/AIDS
sufferers, causing children to become primary care givers.
Transactional sex will increase as people - especially
adolescent girls - are pushed to exchange sex for food.
Of the countries facing the crisis, Zimbabwe is the most
affected with over 6 million people (or half the total
population) dependant on international aid. Malawi and
Zambia are also severly affected. In addition, hundreds
of thousands of people require humanitarian assistance
in Lesotho, Mozambique and Swaziland.
Zimbabwe - An estimated 600,000
children are in need of food aid. The current feeding
programme for malnourished children under five will be
expanded to 130,000 children. Surveillance projects to
monitor infant growth rates are being put in place. Other
expanded programmes include distribution of plastic sheeting
for basic shelter, and cholera control (distributing watercans,
soap, water purfication tablets and chloride) for 10,000
families. UNICEF is organizing a measles and vitamin A
National Immunization Days for July 2-9.
Malawi - Of the 3.2 million people affected, more
than one million children are malnourished. Fifty thousand
children under five and 41,000 pregnant and lactating
women are in a supplementary food programme, and 4,000
chronically and severely malnourished children are receiving
extra helpings. UNICEF supports the government response
to the cholera emergency with the provision of essential
drugs and sanitation materials. In addition, UNICEF is
developing strategies to stimulate school attendance and
to improve on the reintegration of children on the street
due to the crisis. (Top)
Zambia - Of the 2.3 million people affected, 460,000
are under five. Because, in addition to the food crisis,
Zambia is facing severe water shortages. UNICEF is expanding
its drilling projects to provide drinking water and purchasing
water containers for communities. Along with its partners,
UNICEF is monitoring nutritional and baby weight surveillance.
Lesotho - Some 444,800 people
will require food aid, including 62,500 children. Given
that large numbers of children will need supplementary
and therapeutic feeding, UNICEF is working with partners
to identify malnourished children and refer them to feeding
centres. Additionally, it is contributing to the replenishment
of child feeding supplies for these hospital feeding programmes.
Swaziland - A UN assessment
has identified 141,000 people at severe risk, with an
additional 82,000 expected within three months. UNICEF
is mobilizing communities to help ensure that children
stay in school. Special support is being given to out-of-school
children, many of whom are either orphans or from especially
impoverished families (often in female-headed/grandmother
headed households). UNICEF is planning to support school
feeding in the most impoverished rural areas, supplying
kitchen equipment and food supplies. (Top)
Mozambique - Of the 515,000 people facing severe
food insecurity, approximately 100,000 are children under
five. In the context of the drought, UNICEF is providing
support in the management of malnutrition, cholera and
other health programmes. With the Ministry of Education,
UNICEF will monitor school attendance in drought-affected
areas.
For further information, contact:
UNICEF Geneva: Wivina
Belmonte (4122) 909-5509
UNICEF New York: Alfred
Ironside (1212) 326-7261
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