UNICEF’S Humanitarian Action for Children 2025
Eastern and Southern Africa
Highlights
At least 51 million children across Eastern and Southern Africa are at the epicenter of multiple crises, including relentless climate shocks, public health emergencies, conflict, displacement and economic impacts. This is a sharp increase of 6 million children in need compared to the previous year, signaling a further deterioration of the humanitarian situation in the region.
Over the past year:
- 20 of the 21 countries in the Eastern and Southern Africa region are currently facing public health emergencies, affecting more than 63 million people. These outbreaks include mpox, Marburg, cholera, malaria, and other vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles and polio. The growing frequency and rapid spread of public health emergencies heighten children’s vulnerability to infectious disease outbreaks.
- Displacement in Eastern and Southern Africa increased by almost 15 per cent due to climate impacts such as floods and droughts as well as escalating conflicts in neighboring countries.
- Children are increasingly vulnerable to violence, exploitation, and family separation. As seen in other emergencies, gender-based violence, worsened by food insecurity and lack of economic opportunities, is a growing threat, with adolescent girls at heightened risk of child marriage and other harmful practices due to desperate coping mechanisms. In such crises both boys and girls are more vulnerable to multiple forms of violence such as harsh discipline, recruitment into armed groups, and hazardous forms of labour.
- Nearly 47 million children are out of school.
- Amid declining food production and rising malnutrition, approximately one in three children in the region faces food poverty and 28 million are at risk of being trapped in a cycle of malnutrition and poverty.
To support its regional response, UNICEF is appealing for USD 1.2 billion in vital, flexible funding to prioritize the needs and rights of under-served children and communities in the region.
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“Eastern and Southern Africa is home to millions of children who face extraordinary challenges. Yet even in the face of adversity, we see remarkable dynamism, hope and resilience. By prioritizing action and investment, we can make a transformative change, ensuring that children have the opportunities they need to make a difference in their lives.”
