NAIROBI, March 25 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) on Monday decried the dire situation faced by vulnerable children and communities who are bearing the brunt of climate change as a prolonged heatwave and drought grip several countries in Eastern and Southern Africa.
UNICEF said some 45 million children are living through multiple and often overlapping crises intensified by climate change, including cholera outbreaks, malnutrition, drought and floods.
Eva Kadilli, UNICEF regional director for Eastern and Southern Africa, said the climate crisis is a real threat to children and communities in the region.
"The very elements that children need to survive and thrive, including clean water, food, shelter, learning and safety, are being impacted by climate shocks," Kadilli said in a statement issued in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya.
She said school closures disrupt education gains that were made as communities who depend on agriculture face crop loss, resulting in children becoming malnourished or being forced to work to support income generation.
According to UNICEF, the 2023-2024 El Nino phenomenon, one of the strongest on record, is exacerbating already challenging conditions.
It said El Nino has escalated regional climate patterns, causing dry conditions and erratic rainfall, affecting crop production and worsening disease outbreaks.
Late last year, heavy rains and flooding battered parts of the Eastern African region, including Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia. These floods led to loss of lives, disrupted livelihoods, and displaced communities, with more than 5.2 million people affected, UNICEF said.
In response to climate change and other crises in the region, UNICEF is ensuring acutely malnourished children, as well as pregnant and breastfeeding women, are reached with treatment services. Children in all affected areas are reached with prevention interventions such as nutrient-dense food and micronutrient supplements, counseling, and cash transfers, the statement said.
The UN agency said it is building shock-responsive education systems that are prepared and can ensure continuity of learning, during and after crises.
"This includes investing in multiple remote learning modalities, both digital and non-digital, accessible to all children, including the most vulnerable," it said.
Kadilli said extreme weather is expected to be the norm in Eastern and Southern Africa in the years to come. She called on partners to prioritize investment in climate adaptation and mitigation, as well as in systems capable of withstanding the intensifying shocks brought on by climate change.
"Without sustainable responses, the future of children hangs in the balance," she said. "We need to take decisive action now to ensure that they not only survive but thrive in the challenging years ahead." ■
