World Vision publishes it's latest global report | "In the Shadow of Hunger: The Power of Self-Reliance in Protecting Children and Restoring Hope"
Sharing below an update from World Vision:
World Vision has just laughed their latest global report: “In the Shadow of Hunger: The Power of Self-Reliance in Protecting Children and Restoring Hope”.
Released for World Refugee Day, it reveals how cuts in humanitarian assistance are driving hunger and a child protection crisis, among refugees and those internally displaced, pushing children out of school and into work, early marriage, and exploitation.
The report points to a clear, evidence-based solution. Families who can earn a living and meet their own needs are far less likely to expose their children to harm.
Self-reliance, supported by access to work, inclusive policies, and stable livelihoods, emerges as a powerful protective factor, helping children experiencing vulnerabilities stay in school, reducing poverty, hunger, risks of exploitation, and restoring dignity.
See below the related resources:
- Explore the Interactive Report
- Watch the Video Testimonials
- Read the Full Report
- View the Press Release
- Read the Opinion Piece
It investigates three core questions: how aid cuts influence food security and child wellbeing; to what extent households are self-reliant and how that shapes outcomes for children; and which policy, community, and household factors either enable or hinder self-reliance in hunger-affected settings.
The findings demonstrate that food insecurity and aid cuts significantly increase the risk of harmful outcomes for children, including leaving school, begging, child labour, child marriage, poor mental health, and other forms of vulnerability. At the same time, greater self-reliance is consistently associated with better outcomes across nearly all indicators. Overall, the report concludes that while humanitarian assistance remains essential for immediate survival, it should be complemented by stronger investments in self-reliance and systemic policy reforms that remove barriers, expand opportunity, and better protect displaced children and their communities over the long term.
The paper includes several recommendations (attached) for host governments, donors, UN agencies, NGOs and civil society organizations, as well as the private sector, around four key calls to:
- Create inclusive policy environments that enable decent work, documentation, freedom of movement, and access to services
- Provide sufficient, quality funding and incentivize integrated programming
- Integrate self‑reliance across the humanitarian–development–peace nexus
- Support economic and financial inclusion through decent employment and access to financial services.
We hope these resources will support your ongoing work. For any questions please reach out to:
Antonella Bernardini
Senior Advisor for Humanitarian Policy, Advocacy and Partnerships