23% of SA children starving due to poverty - UNICEF report

CAPE TOWN - UNICEF has revealed that 23% of children in South Africa are starving due to severe poverty.

In its latest report, the children's rights advocacy group says South Africa is part of the 65% of countries with children at risk of life-threatening malnutrition and related health complications.

The report identifies the Eastern Cape and Limpopo, where insufficient access to nutritious food is worsened by the lack of access to safe water and sanitation.

UNICEF warns millions of children under the age of five don't have regular, healthy meals to sustain their growth and early childhood development. 

The Children's Rights Group acknowledges the pace of addressing this nutrition crisis has slowed because many countries still recovering from the effects of COVID-19.

According to the organisation, food systems in South Africa have failed to provide children with the nutritious food options they need.

UNICEF suggests that to end child food poverty, government needs to develop a multi-tier response with humanitarian organisations, donors, civil society, and the corporate sector to transform food systems urgently.