Children in Somalia are facing some of the worst humanitarian situations, with some 300,000 under the age of five diagnosed as being malnourished.

Overall, 5.6 million Somalians are facing a form of food insecurity following ongoing droughts and crop failures, meaning millions of families are unable to provide essential food and water to their children. This has resulted in over 400,000 Somalian children being acutely malnourished.

Climate change is causing reduced rainfall which is increasing crop failures and livestock deaths, leaving many Somalians without a secure income or access to reliable food. It’s reported that more than a third of babies are born underweight, and Somalia has the third-highest infant mortality rate in the world at 6.3%. The mortality rate amongst under-fives is 10.4%, with the majority of deaths attributed to preventable illnesses like malaria.

In addition, Somalia is a high-conflict area. More than 2.6 million people have been forced out of their homes amidst civil unrest between the government and Al-Shabab, leaving thousands of children without the stability and security they need.

Children are often recruited as young as nine, with many kidnapped and forced to be soldiers. As the conflict continues, children are at particular risk of being injured or killed.

The civil unrest has seen great disruption to education, with only 30% of Somalian children enrolled at school and 49% in employment. Girls are disproportionately affected by lack of access to education, with only 40% of those enrolled being female. Of those enrolled, many are forced to leave school when they get their first period or when they get married.