9,300 Gaza kids under 5 suffer severe acute malnutrition: UNICEF | Daily Sabah – Daily Sabah

Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza: A Failure to Meet Sustainable Development Goals

Impact on SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being)

A recent assessment in Gaza highlights a severe nutritional and health crisis, directly contravening key Sustainable Development Goals aimed at eliminating hunger and ensuring healthy lives. The findings indicate a critical failure to protect the most vulnerable populations, particularly children.

• SDG 2 (Zero Hunger): Nutrition screenings conducted in October identified nearly 9,300 children under the age of five suffering from severe acute malnutrition. This situation represents a significant setback for Target 2.2, which aims to end all forms of malnutrition by 2025.
• SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being): The high levels of malnutrition, compounded by the rapid spread of disease exacerbated by winter conditions, place thousands of children at an increased risk of death. This directly undermines Target 3.2, which seeks to end preventable deaths of newborns and children under five.

Collapse of Infrastructure: Violations of SDG 6 and SDG 11

The widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure has led to a collapse in basic services, creating living conditions that violate goals for clean water, sanitation, and sustainable communities.

• SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities): An estimated 22,000 tents sheltering displaced families were recently damaged by a winter storm, leaving over 288,000 households without protection. Authorities report a need for approximately 300,000 tents and prefabricated housing units to meet basic shelter requirements (Target 11.1). Thousands of displaced families remain in makeshift shelters without adequate protection from the elements.
• SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation): Heavy rains have resulted in floodwaters mixed with waste and sewage flowing into populated areas. This breakdown in sanitation infrastructure (Target 6.2) is a primary driver for the spread of disease, further endangering public health.

Urgent Call to Action for SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions)

In response to the escalating crisis, humanitarian agencies have issued an urgent call for action, emphasizing the need for peace and the facilitation of aid as foundational elements of SDG 16. The inability to deliver essential supplies highlights a breakdown in institutional processes and a failure to protect civilians.

1. Ensure Safe and Unobstructed Aid Delivery: A primary demand is for the safe, rapid, and unobstructed delivery of humanitarian aid, including large quantities of winter supplies currently blocked at Gaza’s borders.
2. Open All Crossings: UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell called for the opening of all crossings into the Gaza Strip to allow relief to move through all feasible supply routes.
3. Simplify Clearance Procedures: The call includes a demand for simplified and expedited clearance procedures for humanitarian convoys.
4. Prioritize Humanitarian Supplies: There is an urgent need for the clear prioritization of the entry of essential humanitarian supplies to address hunger, illness, and exposure.

Human Cost of the Conflict

The humanitarian emergency is a direct result of the ongoing conflict, which has devastated the enclave and its population since October 2023.

• Nearly 70,000 people have been killed, the majority of whom are women and children.
• Over 170,900 people have been injured.
• The conflict has left much of the Gaza Strip in ruins, destroying critical infrastructure necessary for sustaining life.

Analysis of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 2: Zero Hunger
   • The article directly addresses this goal by highlighting the severe issue of child malnutrition in Gaza. The warning from UNICEF about “severe acute malnutrition” among children under 5 is a central theme.
2. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
   • This goal is relevant due to the discussion of health risks faced by children. The article mentions that the “rapid spread of disease” and malnutrition are “endangering the lives” and increasing the “risk of death among the most vulnerable children.” The lack of proper sanitation, with “waste and sewage” flowing through populated areas, also poses a significant health threat.
3. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
   • The article connects to this SDG by describing the dire housing and infrastructure situation. It details how thousands of displaced families live in “makeshift shelters,” the destruction of 22,000 tents by a storm, and the overall need for 300,000 tents and housing units due to the destruction of civilian infrastructure.
4. SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
   • This goal is addressed through the context of the ongoing conflict. The article explicitly mentions the “genocidal war,” the high number of casualties (“nearly 70,000 people in Gaza, mostly women and children”), and the call for “safe, rapid and unobstructed delivery of humanitarian aid,” which is being hindered by the conflict situation.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 2.2: End all forms of malnutrition
   • The article’s focus on the diagnosis of “nearly 9,300 children under 5 years of age with acute malnutrition” directly relates to this target, which aims to end malnutrition, particularly in children, by 2030.
2. Target 3.2: End preventable deaths of newborns and children under 5 years of age
   • The warning that malnutrition, disease, and cold are “increasing the risk of death among the most vulnerable children” aligns with this target. The conditions described are direct causes of preventable child mortality.
3. Target 11.1: Ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing
   • This target is identified through the description of the housing crisis. The article states that “thousands of displaced families remain in makeshift shelters,” and authorities estimate a need for “300,000 tents and prefabricated housing units to meet the most basic shelter requirements.”
4. Target 16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere
   • The article’s statistics on the conflict’s toll—”the Israeli army has killed nearly 70,000 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, and injured more than 170,900 people”—is a direct measure related to this target of reducing violence and death rates.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Indicator for Target 2.2 (Malnutrition):
   • The article provides a specific number: “nearly 9,300 children under 5 in Gaza were diagnosed with severe acute malnutrition.” This figure serves as a direct indicator of the prevalence of malnutrition (specifically, wasting) among children under five.
2. Indicator for Target 3.2 (Child Mortality):
   • While a specific mortality rate is not given, the article implies this indicator by stating that the combination of malnutrition, disease, and cold is “increasing the risk of death among the most vulnerable children.” The factors contributing to the under-5 mortality rate are explicitly detailed.
3. Indicator for Target 11.1 (Inadequate Housing):
   • The article provides several data points that can be used as indicators for the lack of adequate housing. These include the “22,000 tents sheltering displaced families” damaged by a storm and the estimated need for “300,000 tents and prefabricated housing units.” This quantifies the proportion of the population living in inadequate or temporary shelters.
4. Indicator for Target 16.1 (Conflict-related Deaths):
   • The article gives precise figures that serve as direct indicators for this target: “nearly 70,000 people in Gaza, mostly women and children” killed and “more than 170,900 people” injured. These numbers directly measure conflict-related deaths and injuries.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: dailysabah.com