UNICEF: Almost eight million children face death from 'severe wasting' amid global food crisis
June 27, 2022, 8:56 am

UNICEF: Almost eight million children face death from 'severe wasting' amid global food crisis

A nurse prepares food as a mother looks on at her malnourished child in the emergency medial care section for critical care patients in the ALIMA (The Alliance for International Medical Action) managed nutrition unit of the hospital Tchad/ Chine in N'djamena, Chad on May 13, 2022. (AFP)

UNICEF said that almost eight million children under five years old across 15 crisis hit countries could face death without “immediate" action amid a global food crisis “like no other.”

The United Nations' agency stated that countries at risk - whose children are reportedly in need of therapeutic food and care aid - will be covered in a UNICEF acceleration plan to avert “an explosion of child deaths”. These include Afghanistan, South Sudan, Sudan and Yemen.

The agency estimates child deaths will be caused by severe wasting - “the most... lethal form of undernutrition… where children are too thin for their height".

It added that the food crisis has caused 260,000 children to suffer from this so far this year.

According to the agency's estimates, within the 15 countries facing risk, at least 40 million children are severely nutrition insecure and 21 million children are food insecure.

Boris Johnson announces over $454M for global food security

As world leaders gathered on Friday ahead of a G7 summit in Berlin, the UNICEF’s Executive Director Catherine Russel attended a conference for Global Food Security and appealed for $1.2 billion to avert “millions of child deaths” amid the crisis.

Russel said at the Berlin conference: “From UNICEF’s perspective, it is a crisis like no other. The Covid-19 pandemic, conflicts, and climate change are creating the conditions for severe food insecurity, now exacerbated by the war in Ukraine.”

Source: alarabyenglish

UK presses on with changes to Brexit deal despite EU opposition German Chancellor still deciding whether to attend G20 summit if Putin attends

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has announced its sponsorship of the “Innovation and Sustainable Technology Solutions Competition (GU - IST Solutions), hosted by Gulf University at its main campus.
This strategic sponsorship reflects BENEFIT’s active role in advancing technological innovation and fostering sustainable solutions to future challenges. It also seeks to empower Bahraini youth by enhancing their skills, capabilities, and competitiveness in innovation and solution development—contributing meaningfully to the broader goals of sustainable development across all sectors.
As part of BENEFIT’s active involvement in the competition, the company has announced that Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager of Public Relations and Communication, will serve on the competition’s supervisory committee. Her upcoming participation reflects BENEFIT’s forward-looking commitment to championing academic and professional excellence.
Commenting on the occasion, Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager of Public Relations and Communication at BENEFIT, said, “We are privileged to support this pioneering initiative, which aligns seamlessly with BENEFIT’s enduring commitment to fostering innovation and nurturing the potential of Bahrain’s youth. Our participation is rooted in a deep sense of social responsibility and a firm belief in the pivotal role of innovation in shaping a sustainable future. Through such platforms, we seek to empower the next generation with the knowledge, skills, and foresight required to develop impactful solutions that address future challenges, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030.”
Dr. Aseel Al Ayash Dean of the College of Engineering in Gulf University commented, “We extend our sincere gratitude to BENEFIT for their generous sponsorship and support of the Innovation and Sustainable Technology Solutions Competition. This contribution plays an instrumental role in helping us achieve the strategic goals of this initiative, namely, cultivating a culture of innovation and sustainability, encouraging efforts that address the imperatives of sustainable development, and enhancing the practical and professional capabilities of our students and participants.”
The event will bring together a diverse spectrum of participants, including secondary school students, university undergraduates, engineers, industry professionals, entrepreneurs, academic researchers, and subject matter experts representing a wide range of disciplines.
The competition seeks to inspire participants to develop and present innovative, sustainable technologies aimed at addressing pressing environmental, social, and economic challenges. It encourages the formulation of business models that integrate advanced technological solutions with core principles of sustainability. Moreover, it serves as a platform for emerging leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators to contribute to the advancement of the Sustainable Development Goals, promote the ethos of responsible technology, and demonstrate its transformative potential across various sectors.
Attendees will have the opportunity to view a series of project presentations submitted by participants, covering diverse areas such as eco-friendly product design, smart and sustainable innovations, renewable energy technologies, water conservation and management, waste minimisation and recycling, green architectural solutions, and sustainable transportation systems. Outstanding projects will be formally recognised and awarded at the conclusion of the event.