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A child dying from hunger is a terrible tragedy. As individuals who have committed our careers to combating hunger and malnutrition, we have unfortunately seen this calamity up close and personal. From witnessing the deaths of dozens of children in an internally displaced persons camp, to seeing a child’s body and brain stunted by malnutrition, we can testify to the overwhelming sadness and injustice of a hungry child.
The world has made astonishing progress in combating preventable child deaths, cutting the under-5 mortality rate by more than half since 1990, thanks to proven interventions in health and development. Despite these laudable advances, an unconscionable 15,000 children under the age of 5 still die every day. Almost half of these deaths (nearly 3 million each year) are caused by malnutrition.
But now for the first time in decades, global hunger is on the rise, with an estimated 815 million people now suffering from chronic undernourishment. We chant “never again” every time we respond to a famine, yet famine is once again threatening to kill 21 million people in four countries.
Although we know how to fight this issue, action requires investment. Without a global coalition of leaders dedicated to the plight of these children, the world will not be able to mobilize the relatively modest amount of resources needed to overcome the devastating consequences of malnutrition.
Read the full article about global child hunger at Devex International Development.