George Laria-Adjie, UNICEF’s Regional Director for South Asia, said that vital commodities are becoming prohibitively expensive, and that acute malnutrition in crisis-stricken Sri Lanka is already among the highest in the region.
The UNICEF warning comes at a time when Sri Lanka is experiencing its worst financial crisis since its independence in 1948.
Families are skipping meals because basic products have become unreasonably expensive, and children are sleeping hungry, unaware of where their next meal will come from, according to Laria-Adji.
According to a UN official, widespread food insecurity will further exacerbate hunger, poverty, disease, and death in the region, and the country’s already-existing social difficulties.
According to the United Nations, half of Sri Lanka’s children already require emergency assistance, and the school system, which has been impacted by the economic crisis, has seen a reduction in student enrolment and a scarcity of resources, in addition to commutes made dangerous by collapsing infrastructure.
Laria-Adji went on to add that reports of an increase in child abuse, exploitation, and violence are already appearing as a result of rising economic demands.
He noted that Sri Lanka already has over 10,000 children in care facilities, mostly owing to poverty, and that these institutions do not provide the required family support for early development.
According to the UN official, the current situation is unfortunately pushing more families to place their children in institutions where they are no longer able to care for them, and Laria-Adge continued, “We cannot allow children to pay the price for difficulties that are not their fault.”
We must act today to safeguard their future security.
UNICEF: Malnutrition in Sri Lanka is among the greatest in the area.
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