S. Sudanese children in crisis, have nothing to celebrate- UNICEF

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has warned of impending hunger facing South Sudanese children, adding two out of three minors are in dire need of food assistance.

The aid agency reported on the impact of the humanitarian crisis in South Sudan and showed that 4.5 million children have nothing to smile about in the 10^th commemoration of independence, owing to the marauding hunger crisis.

According to the report by UNICEF, natural calamities paired with intermittent waves of insecurity that have brought about political instability are to blame for the sad state of affairs.

‘‘Bouts of violence and conflict, recurring floods, droughts and other extreme weather events fuelled by climate change, and a deepening economic crisis have led to extremely high food insecurity, and one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises,’’ UNICEF noted in a press release on Tuesday, July 6.

It added that although little progress had been made in the signing of the 2018 peace agreement, a lot needs to be done to turn around the fortunes of the South Sudanese child.

‘‘The recent peace agreement, which has only partially been implemented, has so far failed to bring about any remedy to the challenges facing the country’s children and young people.’’

As UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore (pictured), the hope that was once harboured by the South Sudanese children at independence in 2011 has turned into a full-blown state of misery that requires quick intervention.

 “The childhood of many 10-year-old children in South Sudan today has been beset by violence, crises and rights abuses,” Fore is quoted in the press release.

In January 2021, the UN predicted that a total of 8.3 million people would require humanitarian assistance in South Sudan. The UN said in the report conducted in 2020 that the magnitude of this problem would be much more pronounced in July 2021. A large portion of this number entails women and children who mostly fall victims of heartless ethnic war perpetrators. As a consequence, UNICEF expects nothing but a metamorphosed humanitarian crisis worthy of urgent intervention.

It states in the press release: ‘‘High levels of food insecurity are of particular concern. Some 1.4 million children are expected to suffer from acute malnutrition this year, the highest figure since 2013.

‘‘More than 300,000 children – the highest number ever in the country – are expected to suffer from the worst form of malnutrition and are at risk of dying if treatment is not provided.’’