Children face growing threats as global food prices soar

Kimberly Mega Food Scarcity Thurs May 1st 1:45 AM

Families all over the world are forced to spend almost half their income on food to decrease their chances of malnutrition. There is an increase in pressure to fund more social and community programs for the world’s poor. The Gaza strip has now been deemed a humanitarian crisis as food and gas prices soar making it almost impossible for the population to be reached with supplies. The Middle East has the largest population of refugees in the world and can’t even afford to give its people milk and fruit. The World Bank believes this food price inflation will put 100 million more people into poverty. Also thirty-five million children will be at a greater risk of malnutrition , with ten percent of these being under five years old. The hunger will never stop as long as the fighting continues. Food insecurity will only make people into malnourished, unproductive members of their society. Their economy may never recover and millions will be lost in the process. This article even speaks of families selling their young daughters for marriage in order to feed the rest. I was horrified by this fact. Not that I was naive to think it didn’t happen, but by mentioning it in a news articles implies it becomes more prevalent everyday.

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/fromthefield/wvmeero/84650b119f78a285a3799b7a873a7655.htm