Assistance needed for 3,5m children in 2025

APPROXIMATELY 3,5 million children will require urgent humanitarian assistance next year owing to the El Niño-induced drought, food and nutrition crisis, floods and public health emergencies, Unicef has said.

Zimbabwe is grappling with the effects of climate change which have left over five million citizens in urgent need of food aid.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa earlier this year declared the drought a state of national disaster and appealed for US$3 billion in humanitarian assistance.

In a latest humanitarian situation report, Unicef said the most severe impacts of the drought would be felt during the peak of the hunger period which is January to March 2025.

Drought is projected to worsen in early 2025 according to experts.

“Drought is affecting an estimated 50% of the population (7,6 million people), including 3,5 million children. Out of these 7,6 million people, 9,5% have disabilities, 5,9 million are in rural areas and 1,7 million are in urban areas,” Unicef said.

“In rural areas, child wasting prevalence increased from 4,1% in 2023 to 4,9% in 2024; in urban areas, child wasting prevalence increased from 3% in 2023 to 5,6% in 2024, indicating a deteriorating nutrition situation.

“Additionally, only 6,1% of children (aged 4–19 years) are receiving hot meals at school nationwide; 50,3% of urban households have limited access to sanitation services; and 3,3% of households still practise open defecation.”

The UN agency said it planned to reach 1,6 million people including 1,3 million children, 155 739 persons with disabilities and 188 617 people living with HIV — with integrated life-saving services spanning health, nutrition, water and sanitation, child protection, education and social protection.

Furthermore, the non-governmental organisation promised to increase technical and financial support to government-led national and subnational coordination structures to deliver multi-sectoral life-saving services and mainstream social and behaviour change, accountability to affected populations, gender equality and protection from sexual exploitation and abuse across its interventions.

“Unicef requires US$36,5 million to meet humanitarian needs in 38 high-priority districts in Zimbabwe in 2025. Critical interventions will address the needs of children and families in the areas of health, nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), education, child protection and social protection, while integrating the HIV response, risk communication and community engagement and the response to gender-based violence,” the agency said.