Child health remains a cornerstone for sustainable development and the future of any nation.
Across the globe, millions of children face the harsh reality of malnutrition, a silent crisis that hinders not only physical growth but also cognitive development.
According to the 2022 World Hunger Report, 820 million people are malnourished globally, of which 149 million are children, a significant proportion of these children suffer from stunting.
Stunting is one of the most persistent forms of malnutrition. It results from chronic undernutrition during the first 1,000 days of a child’s life.
Stunted children are shorter than their peers and often suffer from impaired mental development, reduced productivity in adulthood, and an increased risk of chronic diseases later in life.
At the regional level, in Southern Africa, the average stunting rate is 30 percent and in Zambia, the national average is slightly higher at 32 percent.
According to World Health Organization (WHO) standards, stunting prevalence in any population should be below 20 percent.
However, Zambia does not meet this standard, even in the provinces with the lowest stunting rates, Southern and Western Provinces, each recording 29 percent. The situation is more alarming in Luapula (45 percent), Northern (43 percent), and Eastern (36.4 percent) Provinces.
World Vision National Advocacy Campaign Coordinator for the Enough Campaign, James Zimba, emphasizes that a child’s life is shaped by their nutrition, starting from the womb.
“What we feed a child from the time of pregnancy greatly determines the kind of person they will grow into, whether in the family, community, or society at large,” says Mr. Zimba.
He highlights that child hunger and malnutrition negatively impact children’s growth, often leading to poor performance in school and reduced potential in adulthood.
He believes the ENOUGH Campaign, launched on 26 November 2024, can transform children’s lives and contribute to national development.
“The campaign is working with children’s clubs, advocating through radio programs and submitting petitions during global commemorative events like, Youth Day and World Water Day to raise awareness on child health and malnutrition,” Mr. Zimba explains.
He also urges civic leaders to promote the diversification of nutritious food sources as a strategy to combat child hunger and malnutrition.
Meanwhile, World Vision Zambia Associate Director for Advocacy Campaigns and Reports, Gerald Kaputo, says the pace at which child focused policies are being implemented is too slow, and funding for child-related interventions remains insufficient.
Mr. Kaputo stresses that the government should integrate children’s voices into policy and budget decisions, and also promote behavioral change in communities with poor nutritional practices.
“World Vision Zambia uses commemorative events like the Day of the African Child and World Water Day to amplify children’s voices on issues surrounding the ENOUGH Campaign, particularly in addressing health, hunger, and malnutrition,” Mr. Kaputo explains.
He adds that children use these platforms to submit petitions to government representatives, further advocating for change.
Mr. Kaputo urges the government to prioritize child nutrition, especially as it prepares the national budget.
He also recommends allocating at least 3 percent of the education budget to the school feeding program, which would significantly benefit a large number of learners.
Malnutrition in its various forms such as underweight, wasting, and stunting continues to pose a major public health challenge, particularly in low and middle income countries.