Reductions in donor funding are poised to severely undermine decades of progress in child and maternal health, potentially disrupting nutrition support for at least 14 million children and increasing their risk of severe malnutrition and death, according to initial analyses released by UNICEF.
The warning comes as world leaders convene in Paris for the Nutrition for Growth Summit, highlighting a deepening crisis exacerbated by unprecedented levels of child displacement, ongoing conflicts, disease outbreaks, and the escalating impacts of climate change, all of which compromise access to adequate nutrition.
“Over the last decades, we have made impressive progress in reducing child malnutrition globally because of a shared commitment and sustained investment,” stated UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. She noted that since 2000, the number of stunted children under five had decreased by 55 million, and millions suffering severe malnutrition had been saved. “But steep funding cuts will dramatically reverse these gains and put the lives of millions more children at risk.”
Further analyses across 17 high-priority countries suggest devastating consequences stemming from the funding shortfalls. More than 2.4 million children experiencing severe acute malnutrition may lack access to essential Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) through the remainder of 2025.
Furthermore, up to 2,300 life-saving stabilisation centres, which provide critical care for severely wasted children with medical complications, face potential closure or significant service reductions. Nearly 28,000 UNICEF-supported outpatient therapeutic centres are also at risk, with some having already ceased operations due to budget constraints.
Levels of severe wasting among children under five remain alarmingly high in fragile contexts and humanitarian emergencies. Adolescent girls and women are particularly affected; the number suffering from acute malnutrition has surged by 25 per cent since 2020, rising from 5.5 million to 6.9 million. UNICEF anticipates these figures will climb further without urgent financial intervention from donors and increased investment by national governments.
“UNICEF is calling on governments and donors to prioritise investments in health and nutrition programmes for children and is urging national governments to allocate more funding to domestic nutrition and health services,” Ms Russell emphasised. “Good nutrition is the foundation of child survival and development, with impressive returns on investment. Dividends will be measured in stronger families, societies and countries, and a more stable world.”
Despite the funding challenges, UNICEF affirmed its commitment to delivering essential services by prioritising high-impact programmes, optimising resource allocation, and implementing cost-saving measures. To tackle child and maternal malnutrition long-term, the organisation launched the Child Nutrition Fund (CNF) in 2023, supported by entities including the UK Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office and the Gates Foundation.
UNICEF continues to appeal to governments, partners, and philanthropic donors to contribute to the CNF and other flexible funding mechanisms dedicated to supporting vulnerable children and women, stressing that immediate action is vital to mitigate the crisis and protect children’s futures.
