Save the Children Warns of Dire Situation for Children in Somalia as UN Findings Show that 130,000 Children Died in 2011 Famine

WASHINGTON, D.C. — As new figures reveal that 130,000 children under the age of five died in 2011’s Somali famine and its aftermath, Save the Children has warned that the humanitarian situation for children in the country remains extremely serious.

Despite an improvement in food security since the peak of the famine, children continue to die because they don’t have enough to eat. Save the Children is calling on the international community to maintain focus on combatting hunger in the war-torn country.

“These figures clearly show how children bear brunt of hunger crises. 130,000 children under the age of five lost their lives in a crisis that was predicted months in advance. We must never let that happen again, and we must recommit to helping the 2.7 million Somalis who remain in crisis,” said Carolyn Miles, president & CEO of Save the Children. “While conditions in Somalia have improved in recent months, the country still has one of the highest rates of child malnutrition and infant mortality in the world.”

“With next week’s London Conference on Somalia, this is a timely reminder to the international community of the urgent need to refocus on the humanitarian situation in Somalia.”

Last year, Save the Children and Oxfam launched A Dangerous Delay, a report that showed how the international community’s slow response to the famine cost tens of thousands of lives. Save the Children continues to work across Somalia, providing life-saving assistance to the most vulnerable and helping families to strengthen their resistance to future shocks.

How You Can Help

Your generous donation to our East Africa Food Crisis Relief Fund will help us provide food, water, education, child care and so much more for children and families affected by the food crisis.

Donate: https://secure.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6239017/k.569B/Child_Hunger_Crisis_Fund/apps/ka/sd/donor.asp

Save the Children is the leading independent organization for children in need, with programs in 120 countries, including the United States. We aim to inspire breakthroughs in the way the world treats children, and to achieve immediate and lasting change in their lives by improving their health, education and economic opportunities. In times of acute crisis, we mobilize rapid assistance to help children recover from the effects of war, conflict and natural disasters.