Regional Call to Action

Highlights

Today, approximately 36.3 million people in the Horn of Africa—including 20.2 million children—require critical and timely support in response to the worst drought crisis of the past 40 years. While droughts have occurred in this region in the past, the magnitude of the current crisis and its underlying drivers have created catastrophic conditions for children and their families.
In 2023, approximately 1.9 million children are projected to need urgent treatment for severe wasting as acute food insecurity continues to spread across the region. Five consecutive dry seasons have killed vast swathes of livestock and crops, fueling malnutrition and increasing the risk of disease. With families driven to the edge, children are facing a range of dangers, from an alarming increase in child labor to child marriage and female genital mutilation.