UN humanitarians highlight urgent needs in food insecurity “hotspots”

The pandemic, natural disasters and, civil strife are leading to further food insecurity that may spark famine in select countries in Africa, the Middle East and South America, warn humanitarians from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations (UN).

“We are deeply concerned about the combined impact of several crises which are eroding people’s ability to produce and access food, leaving them more and more at risk of the most extreme hunger,” Dominique Burgeon, director of emergencies and resilience, FAO, is quoted as saying by UN News. “We need access to these populations to ensure they have food and the means to produce food and improve their livelihoods to prevent a worst-case scenario.”

The fear is it will be too late by the time a famine is declared; too many lives will already be lost.

Burkina Faso and Ethiopia, two countries where Children Believe works, are at risk of famine as they face civil unrest in the midst of the pandemic. Our teams are helping where they can, providing food rations, cash vouchers and protection for children at risk of exploitation as their parents’ resources dwindle.

You can help. Visit childrenbelieve.ca/covid-19 to help today.

About Children Believe

Children Believe works globally to empower children to dream fearlessly, stand up for what they believe in — and be heard. For 60+ years, we’ve brought together brave young dreamers, caring supporters and partners, and unabashed idealists. Together, we’re driven by a common belief: creating access to education — inside and outside of classrooms — is the most powerful tool children can use to change their world.

About Childfund Alliance

A member of ChildFund Alliance, Children Believe is part of a global network of child-focused development organizations working to create opportunities for children and youth, their families and communities. ChildFund helps nearly 23-million children and their families in 70 countries overcome poverty and underlying conditions that prevent children from achieving their full potential. We work to end violence against children; provide expertise in emergencies and disasters to ease the harmful impact on children and their communities; and engage children and youth to create lasting change and elevate their voices in decisions that affect their lives.