As the UK hosts the on World Children’s Day, 45 million children continue to suffer (PDF) from wasting, 150 million from stunting, and .
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, global progress in tackling child hunger and malnutrition has stalled. Wasting in sub-Saharan Africa is now rising, and humanitarian crises of food insecurity and starvation have escalated in multiple regions. The World Food Programme projects a staggering 60% shortfall in operating budget for 2023 – with severe impact on availability of adequate aid packages in highly aid-dependent countries and communities.
Against this background, we call on the UK Government to reverse the – cuts which have impacted disproportionately on nutrition programmes, and which the government itself acknowledges will lead to .
This summit provides an opportunity for the UK to re-establish its credentials as a leader on global nutrition – at a minimum by returning to the manifesto commitment to allocate no less than 0.7% of Gross National Income on overseas development assistance (ODA) , and by working with other bilateral, multilateral and philanthropic partners to scale up the funding desperately needed for global and regional nutrition programming.