Child Nutrition Issues
1 in 4 children globally live in severe child food poverty due to inequity, conflict, and climate crises
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Child food poverty harms all children, but it is particularly damaging in early childhood when insufficient dietary intake of essential nutrients can cause the greatest harm to child survival, physical growth, and cognitive development, trapping children and their families in a cycle of poverty and deprivation.
Global Situation of Child Malnutrition
Child malnutrition remains a critical issue worldwide. Around 181 million children under the age of five are experiencing severe child food poverty, meaning they consume just two or fewer of the major food groups each day. This lack of nutrition significantly impacts their physical and cognitive development and increases their risk of mortality. The situation is particularly dire in regions affected by conflict, climate crises, and economic instability, such as South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.
Children living in severe food poverty are children living on the brink. Right now, that is the reality for millions of young children, and this can have an irreversible negative impact on their survival, growth and brain development
Situation in Belarus
In Belarus, the situation is much better compared to some of the most affected regions. However, challenges still exist, particularly in ensuring that all children have access to a diverse and nutritious diet.
In Belarus, thousands of children with disabilities live in specialized residential care facilities, of which there are nine across the country. These children have been abandoned by their parents or their families are unable to provide the necessary medical support. Among these boys and girls, there are 109 children under palliative care due to severe disabilities and complex health issues.
While these children cannot be cured, their quality of life can be improved by addressing secondary health problems. Proper nutrition plays a crucial role in their growth and development. Unfortunately, many children with severe disabilities in Belarus suffer from malnutrition, leading to further complications.
By enhancing the feeding process for these children—through training specialists, tailoring individual nutrition plans, and acquiring specialized equipment—their quality of life can be significantly improved. They could gain weight, enhance their health and emotional well-being, and in some cases, even return to their families or find foster parents.
UNICEF in Belarus, in collaboration with experts from the Republican Clinical Center for Palliative Medical Care for Children, has initiated a project aimed at improving the nutrition of these children in nine residential facilities. However, financial support is needed to purchase equipment and food supplies.
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UNICEF is actively working to address child malnutrition through various initiatives and implements programs to provide therapeutic food and supplements to children suffering from severe acute malnutrition.
By addressing both the immediate needs and the underlying causes of malnutrition, UNICEF aims to create a sustainable impact on children’s health and well-being globally.
With the support of the donors UNICEF can provide a simple, easily delivered therapeutic food solution that has the potential to save millions of children from death.
Learn more about UNICEF programmes and support you can here.