A deadly mix of conflict, climate change, and poverty has pushed 2.3 million children aged under 5 in South Sudan into life-threatening acute malnutrition, with rates soaring just months after foreign governments announced the slashing of funds to the world's poorest countries, Save the Children said.

The number of children going hungry in war-torn eastern regions of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has surged 50% due to an escalation in violence this year.

About 235,000 children forced from their homes by bombs, bullets and displacement orders in Gaza are facing increasing risk of disease as days of heavy rains flood tents and turn camps into swamps, Save the Children said.

The conflict in Sudan has seen a major increase in intensity in recent weeks, with violence hitting a seven-month high in the country, with children on the frontline, said Save the Children. Violent incidents include airstrikes, artillery shelling, use of explosives and remote violence in multiple regions.
 

World leaders convene on 22-23 September for the 2024 Summit of the Future in New York to accelerate action on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and other global challenges. Children from rural and poor families are increasingly being left behind in global development according to a new report by Save the Children.

Nearly 500 unaccompanied and separated children have arrived in Blue Nile and Gedaref states in Sudan over six weeks as heavy fighting forces more people to flee for safety after 16 months of conflict, Save the Children said.

About 75% of children in Sudan are now going hungry daily as conflict drives hunger levels to record levels, raising fears of rising child malnutrition.

The United Nations’ World Food Program has announced it will drop another two million people from food assistance in Afghanistan due to dwindling aid funds.