Child nutrition crises less than a third funded

Save the Children analysed data on the funding gap in countries experiencing high levels of malnutrition, food insecurity and poor health indicators. The analysis of almost 20 countries including Sudan, Yemen and Somalia found that of the about $10 billion required for programmes tackling food security, malnutrition, health and water and sanitation, just 31% ($3.1 billion) had been received as of early October. [2]

The shrinking support comes as needs are rising, requiring a new approach to tackling malnutrition that spans prevention, treatment, and strengthening healthcare, said Save the Children. 

In response, Save the Children has launched Nourished Futures, a new global initiative which aims to raise $300 million to treat and prevent child malnutrition and illness in the toughest humanitarian contexts [3].

Globally, over 43 million children suffer from acute malnutrition – when a child weighs too little for their height – which threatens children’s health and lifelong growth while contributing to 45% of all deaths of children under the age of five. Many malnourished children live in fragile and humanitarian contexts, affected by conflict, instability and shocks with little or no access to services to prevent, detect, and treat malnutrition.

This year’s El Niño weather event – predicted to be one of the strongest in decades – is expected to deepen hunger and malnutrition further, because of dangerous droughts, crop failures, flooding and livestock losses. In Somalia, for example, an estimated 1.92 million children under five will need treatment for acute malnutrition in the 12 months to June 2027, with El Niño flooding forecast to worsen the situation.

In Yemen, one of the world’s worst hunger and nutrition crises, an estimated 2.2 million children – almost one in four – are acutely malnourished after years of conflict and economic crisis, with the recent escalation in violence exacerbating needs further. About half a million children in Yemen are suffering from severe acute malnutrition – a life-threatening state that causes severe muscle wasting, weak organ function, and collapsed immunity if left untreated.

Maha*, 13 months, was diagnosed with severe acute malnutrition.

Maha’s mother, Noor*, said: “Maha was born through normal delivery and was healthy at birth. As time passed, she became noticeably thinner and weaker. When she was seven months old, community health volunteers visited our home and told me that she was suffering from malnutrition. They advised me to take her to the health centre for screening and treatment.”

After being referred to a Save the Children supported hospital, Maha received regular medical follow-up, nutrition support, Noor received breastfeeding counselling, and Maha made a full recovery.

Preventing malnutrition goes beyond food and therapeutic supplements alone; it means ensuring mothers and children have access to quality healthcare, including breastfeeding counselling, nutritious diets, immunisation, clean water, sanitation and protection from disease, said Save the Children. Early detection and rapid treatment are critical to save lives, while stronger health systems can help children to recover and families to become more resilient to future crises.

Andrew Beckingham, Save the Children International’s nutrition lead said: “Too many children have historically been reached only after malnutrition has become severe, dangerous and expensive to treat.

“While the coming year will bring unprecedented challenges as the impacts of funding cuts, the climate crisis, El Niño and conflict continue to deepen, acting earlier can save more lives, reduce costs, and help families protect children in the most vulnerable communities before crisis takes hold. Governments, donors, and the international community must act with urgency to save children's lives and prevent a child survival crisis.

“A healthier future for millions of children is within our reach. We already have proven, affordable solutions to prevent and treat malnutrition. By bringing together investment, innovation and new ways of working, we can build stronger systems that deliver these solutions at scale and create lasting change. This is our opportunity to rethink what is possible, protect children's lives today and give them the chance to thrive tomorrow."

At a time when humanitarian needs are rising and public funding is tightening; traditional funding models are no longer sufficient. Through Nourished Futures Save the Children is aiming to change the way malnutrition is tackled.

Children need both treatment and prevention. This includes preventing malnutrition and disease before it starts, strengthening community detection and referrals, delivering life-saving treatment and strengthening health systems. 

Ends

[1] Funding gap based on data from OCHA Financial Tracking System, considering how much of the UN-coordinated humanitarian appeal requirements for food security, nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene and health have been met compared to funds requested for 2026.  Sectors were weighted according to contributing to nutrition outcomes. Headline figure includes children and adults to give an approximate idea of the percentage gap, as while information on people targeted by age per sector is available, age-specific data is not always publicly available on where received funds have gone.  

[2] Based on countries prioritised by Save the Children’s Nourished Futures initiative for which funding data received against the Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan is also available (17 of the 20 Nourished Future countries). 

 [3] This month, Save the Children has launched Nourished Futures, a global humanitarian nutrition initiative – inspired by and building on the commitments of the One Childhood, One Chance alliance - which aims to raise $300 million over 2026–2028 to treat and prevent child malnutrition and illness in the toughest humanitarian contexts. Donors and partners joining this initiative are helping reshape the future of humanitarian nutrition, redesigning together the way the world treats malnutrition – from a reactive system focused on treating crisis to one that prevents it entirely. Save the Children prioritisation criteria for the Nourished Futures seeks to balance scale of nutritional need and Save the Children capacity to respond.