Tracking - Emerging Famine in Somalia

by Michael Bear · 2008-12-07 21:44:00 UTC
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It's a prize that no one particularly wants to claim - according to UNICEF, Somalia has "the highest levels of malnutrition in the world", with up to 300,000 children acutely malnourished.

The situation is verging on famine.  UNICEF reports Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) rates of 28% in some areas, just below the famine threshold of 30%.  In addition, more than 70% of the population lacks access to safe drinking water.

According to Mark Bowden, the UN Humanitarian and Resident Coordinator for Somalia:

"What we are looking at today is a situation in which nearly half the population is in crisis or need of assistance. There is no doubt it has reached an undeniable level of immensity.  Without question, throughout 2008, humanitarian operations have struggled to address the widening crisis and support the growing number of vulnerable populations in an environment of shrinking humanitarian space."

As Saturday's post mentioned, Somalia is now the most dangerous country in the world for aid workers, with 36 aid workers killed in Somalia so far this year.

Yet even given these attacks, some aid is still getting through.  For instance, the World Food Program plans to distribute food to 1.6 million Somalis in December alone.

However, the scope of the need is far greater still, with as many as 3.2 million Somalis in need of aid.

As one Somali civil society activist explained: "In all aspects of our tragedy women and children bear the brunt."

[Somali children rummaging through garbage to look for food - Photo from photos-d.ak.facebook.com]

Michael Bear
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