Drought intensifies children's suffering in Horn of Africa: UN

UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- The number of children suffering dire drought conditions across Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia has more than doubled in five months, according to figures released by the United Nations Friday.

The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) said that around 20.2 million children in the countries are now facing the threat of severe hunger, thirst and disease, compared to 10 million in July, as climate change, conflict, global inflation and grain shortages devastate the region.

Nearly 2 million children across Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia are currently estimated to require urgent treatment for severe acute malnutrition, the deadliest form of hunger, UNICEF said, adding that approximately 2.7 million children are out of school because of the drought, with an additional estimated 4 million children at risk of dropping out.

UNICEF warned that as families are driven to the edge dealing with increased stress, children face a range of protection risks including child labor and child marriage.

"We need a global effort to mobilize resources urgently to reduce further devastating and irreversible damage to children in the Horn of Africa," UNICEF Deputy Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa Lieke van de Wiel said in a statement.