Title: Food insecurity among children: a persistent problem
Introduction :
Despite the efforts made by the World Food Program to fight against food insecurity, an invisible enemy continues to rage: almost 150 million children under the age of five still suffer today from stunted growth. This alarming observation is underlined in the recent World Bank report entitled “Driving Nutrition Action through the Budget: A Guide to Nutrition-Responsive Budgeting”. These children, affected by underweight, live mainly in sub-Saharan Africa, where nearly 40% of them are affected. This situation of malnutrition has negative repercussions on their health and development.
The consequences of child malnutrition:
According to the World Bank report, malnutrition in children leads to cognitive and developmental deficits. In other words, these food insecure children are stunted which affects their physical and mental development. This situation also compromises their ability to learn and develop fully. Malnutrition has a devastating effect on the health and well-being of young children, and can have long-term consequences on their adult lives.
The importance of effective government action:
To effectively combat food insecurity among children, World Bank experts stress the importance of a nutritional response that involves several government sectors. Health, water, education and agriculture must work together to put in place policies and measures to eradicate child malnutrition. The report also highlights the crucial role of the budget in this fight against food insecurity. A nutrition-sensitive budget can help address this issue and invest in the future of these children.
A challenge to achieve development goals:
Unless urgent action is taken, the development goals to reduce malnutrition by 50% by 2030 will not be achieved. Child malnutrition is a major obstacle to the construction of solid human capital in the affected countries. The World Bank therefore calls for collective mobilization to put in place concrete policies and measures to fight against food insecurity among children.
Conclusion :
Food insecurity among children is a major challenge that persists in many countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. The consequences of child malnutrition are numerous and affect both the health and development of these young children.. Effective government action, including different sectors, as well as adequate financial investment, are needed to put an end to this worrying situation. Together we can build a better future for these children and empower them to develop fully