World Vision has revealed that humanitarian funding cuts are driving displaced families into severe hunger, with 58% now facing starvation and nearly half going entire days without food. A new report released on June 17, ahead of World Refugee Day, shows that families who had their food rations cut were over five times more likely to face severe food insecurity, according to a press release. The study surveyed more than 5,000 refugee and internally displaced households across 13 crisis-affected countries between January and April 2025.
The report documents alarming conditions across displacement camps, with 97% of families in South Sudan reporting that someone in their household had gone a full day and night without eating in the past month. Similarly, 89% of families in Ethiopia and the Democratic Republic of Congo said they had endured this level of hunger. The cuts to food assistance have created a direct link to family suffering and child exploitation.
See also: Hunger and malnutrition statistics: Current data and trends
Children in food-insecure households are eight times more likely to engage in child labor and nearly six times more likely to be married early. The study found that 38% of families reported mental distress among children, including increased anxiety, depression, and behavioral issues. Nearly half of all parents said their children could no longer attend school regularly because they had to help find food or earn money.
“This is a humanitarian catastrophe hiding in plain sight,” said Amanda Rives, Senior Director of Disaster Management at World Vision International. “These are families who have lost everything to conflict or disaster. Now we’re taking away the one thing they had left: life-saving food assistance.”
World Vision is calling for urgent international action to restore humanitarian assistance and prioritize displaced populations. The report warns that without immediate intervention, an entire generation of children faces lost futures through forced labor, early marriage, and exploitation driven by hunger.
