The United Nations Children’s Fund on Monday said the lives of 45 million children are at risk of poor health, malnutrition, displacement and learning loss due to climate change. 

“The needs are escalated by projections indicating a strong likelihood of robust El Niño impacts such as floods lasting through early 2024 and drought forecasted to persist through most of 2024,”  a Unicef statement read. 

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The United Nations’ latest prediction of the impact of the El Niño weather phenomena is that it will be one of the six strongest weather systems in recorded history, increasing the likelihood of extreme weather and climate hazards. In southern Africa, the El Niño weather phenomena are known for above-average temperatures and below-normal rainfall during the November to April season.

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“To address the humanitarian needs of children and communities impacted by climate change, and other crises in the region, Unicef is urgently appealing for $1.4-billion.

“This will include preventing and treating wasting (wasting is the mildest form of malnutrition when the body already starts to get progressively weaker) through a continuum of care of children and mothers; prevention, early detection and treatment of diseases through health facilities; provision of safe water and sanitation access to prevent waterborne diseases; provision of quality learning and child protection services including mental health and psychosocial support; gender-based violence and prevention of sexual abuse and exploitation; and building resilient systems that can withstand current and future shocks,” the Unicef statement reads.

“The climate crisis is not a distant threat but an immediate danger to the well-being of children in eastern and southern Africa. The impact of climate change on children is a stark reminder that urgent action is needed to address the root causes of the crisis and facilitate sustainable solutions to help children through this. Our collective responsibility is to protect the most vulnerable and build a sustainable future for all,” Etleva Kadilli, Unicef’s Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa said. 

Children’s lives at risk

“The climate crisis has had a devastating impact on vulnerable populations and the historical confluence of climate, conflict displacement and health emergencies have put the lives of children particularly at risk. Climate change patterns with prolonged droughts and above-average rainfall in parts of Kenya and Somalia have disrupted food security, pushed people into displacement and put more than 6.4 million children at risk due to malnutrition and diseases,” Kadilli continued.   

“Across the region, rising temperatures, extreme weather events, and shifting climate patterns have led to a surge in displacement amongst vulnerable communities. Families are forced to flee their homes due to floods, droughts, and other climate-related disasters. Climate-induced emergencies have accelerated the regional learning crisis with children and families displaced and their schools damaged or destroyed. This mass displacement has disrupted children’s learning, exposed children to heightened risks of exploitation such as forced child marriage, child labour and recruitment into armed groups, and worsened the region’s existing humanitarian challenges. Children who are already at risk of school dropout face an even higher risk when exposed to crises worsened by climate change and environmental degradation,” she continued. 

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Unicef added that the children of the region are at increased risk due to droughts, floods and increasing temperatures and are vulnerable to the interruption of healthcare services due to extreme weather.

“Food security is under threat as changing climate conditions affect agricultural productivity. The region is grappling with decreased crop yields, affecting the availability and affordability of nutritious food. Children face an increased risk of malnutrition, stunting, and developmental issues, further perpetuating cycles of poverty and inequality. Between January — September 2023, 24% more children were treated for severe wasting compared to the same period in 2022,” Kadilli continued.

The statement added that there was serious concern about compromised water sources and that a lack of access to safe water was also putting children at risk of waterborne diseases including cholera, hindering their ability to thrive in a healthy environment.

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Kadilli continued, “The time to act is now. As the climate crisis intensifies, it threatens the well-being and survival of children and young people. Unicef remains steadfast in our commitment to safeguarding the rights of every child, advocating for urgent climate action, and forging resilient solutions that ensure a sustainable and equitable future for the children of today and tomorrow. But we cannot do it alone. The regional and international community must come together to recognise the catastrophic impacts of climate change and place children at the heart of our immediate response. Investment in climate-resilient infrastructure is more critical than ever, empowering children and young people on the climate crisis. The future of children in eastern and southern Africa depends on our immediate and decisive actions today.”

Malnutrition across SA

South African data on malnutrition in children under five is already confirming the alarms raised by Unicef.

According to the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund State of the South African Child Report, 4.8 million of the country’s 20 million children are starving. About 27% of children under 5 are stunted due to malnutrition.

The Fund identified the top five worst districts where children are dying of preventable causes as: 

• OR Tambo, Eastern Cape;
• Alfred Nzo, Eastern Cape;
• Joe Gqabi, Eastern Cape;
• Zululand, KwaZulu-Natal; and
• John Taolo (formerly Kgalagadi), Northern Cape.

“Communities face a lack of medical resources including infrastructure, medical professionals and supplies which ultimately leads to the preventable deaths of children,” the Fund report states. 

According to statistics from the Eastern Cape Department of Health, there were 456 new cases of severe acute malnutrition in children under 5 recorded in the OR Tambo district. Of these children, 91 died due to severe acute malnutrition.

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“In 2016, neo-natal and child mortality were identified as critical health issues which stemmed from malnutrition as well as the lack of immunisation and access to immediate medical services and healthcare — this has not changed over the past seven years. Identified causes have only gotten worse. As of 2021, the infant and under 5 mortality rates were recorded at 24.1 and 32.8 per 1,000 births respectively; both recorded significant increases from 2020 where figures were 21 and 28 per 1,000 births.

“This noticeable increase was largely attributed to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic where children faced even further reduced access to healthcare services as well as suspension of routine vaccination campaigns.

“Rural provinces have the highest mortality rates where the Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo and the Eastern Cape lead in numbers. The Fund

continues to work closely with these provinces, particularly at a district level, which has allowed them to identify district and provincial mortality levels getting alarmingly worse despite there being a general decrease at the national level,” the report continued. DM