United Nations agencies have warned that 825,000 children are at risk of death from malnutrition this year amid ongoing conflict, displacement, and restrictions on humanitarian aid access.
In a joint statement, the World Food Programme (WFP), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said that “conflict, displacement, and restrictions on humanitarian assistance are placing more than 825,000 children at risk of death from acute malnutrition in 2026.”
The statement added that nearly 100,000 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition — which can lead to death if not urgently treated — were treated between January and March 2026.
It also warned that 19.5 million people are facing crisis levels of acute food insecurity, according to the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis, an international hunger monitoring system supported by the United Nations.
A total of 33.7 million people, including 17.3 million children, are in need of humanitarian assistance this year. The United Nations and its partners plan to assist 20.4 million of them but require funding amounting to $2.9 billion.
