Sudan is now the country with the largest number of displaced people and the largest child displacement crisis in the world.

Millions of people in Somalia could be at risk of famine as a severe drought and the Ukraine crisis drive up the cost of food.

The United Nations recently warned that “famine is at the door” in Somalia, where millions are already nearing starvation. Other countries and regions around the world, including Africa’s Sahel region and Afghanistan, also face crisis-level food insecurity. One common thread across these contexts and crises is that children will be the most impacted.

With 20 million people at risk of hunger in Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya, the IRC is on the ground providing essential support to those in need.

As a country already prone to natural disasters, climate change has increased Afghanistan’s likelihood of suffering extreme weather events. This is having devastating effects on access to food and has contributed to putting one million children at risk of severe malnutrition. Compounding this crisis, 2023 marked the country's third successive year plagued by drought-like conditions, with 35% of Afghanistan's population finding themselves confronting acute food insecurity. The drought has led to households struggling with malnutrition even after harvest.

By the time mothers bring their malnourished children to the IRC health facility in the Imvepi refugee settlement, in the north-west part of Uganda, they are often deeply worried because their child is in an extremely weakened state. As the IRC nutrition assistant that meets them, Esther, 28, gives hope to these mothers, letting them know she is there to support their child and to help provide the critical care they need.

Five global crises impacting children around the world.