30-Hour Famine

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The Pearl of the Indian Ocean – Sri Lanka

What comes to mind when you hear the name “Sri Lanka”? Is it Ceylon black tea, gemstones or elephants?
Or is it their recent economic crisis and declaration of bankruptcy that made headlines around the world?

The Pearl of the Indian Ocean – Sri Lanka

What comes to mind when you hear the name “Sri Lanka”? Is it Ceylon black tea, gemstones or elephants? Or is it their recent economic crisis and declaration of bankruptcy that made headlines around the world?
The well-being of many Sri Lankans have been disrupted due to multiple reasons such as the 2019 Easter bombings, COVID-19 pandemic, the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the country’s economic crisis, severe shortages of food, fuel, medicine and other necessities which has led to the soaring prices of goods. The 30-Hour Famine 2023 will focus on Sri Lanka. We invite everyone to step into the world of Sri Lankan children, learn about their living conditions and the global issues that affect them.
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Global Issue: The Global Hunger Crisis
Through the Lens of Sri Lanka

Global Issue: The Global Hunger Crisis Through the Lens of Sri Lanka

Since the beginning of 2021, the deadly combination of global conflict, COVID-19 pandemic and the climate crisis has fueled the global hunger crisis.
  • 50 million people across 45 countries are on the brink of famine.
  • Right now, four times more people are enduring catastrophic conditions of starvation compared to just 15 months ago.
  • The conflict in Ukraine has led to rising prices and shortages of food, fuel and fertiliser.
The situation is worsening in many hunger hotspots around the world, including Sri Lanka. In light of the above, the 30-Hour Famine 2023 will focus on the following areas to understand the impact of poverty on vulnerable communities:

Child Protection

In recent years, due to the political and economic crisis, vulnerable families face increasing economic burden, which has led to increasing cases of child abuse, exploitation and violence.

Child protection issues are rampant among vulnerable communities in Sri Lanka. This includes sexual exploitation and abuse, strained family relationships and child neglect (because parents are busy earning a living), emotional abuse and child marriage, cyber bullying and other forms of violence against children. There is low awareness of child rights among the community, and parents are also unaware of the negative impacts drugs and alcohol can have on their children’s health.

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Livelihoods

A significant number of Sri Lankans depend on agriculture for their livelihoods. However, the agriculture and livestock industries have been badly impacted as a result of frequent and more extreme natural disasters brought about by climate change.

Due to the Easter bombings in 2019 and later the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the key pillars of Sri Lanka’s economy – the tourism industry – suffered a downfall. On top of that, foreign exchange earnings plummeted and the country ran into debt, which reduced the country’s funds for importing food and other products.

The ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine has also sent the cost of imported products like oil soaring. With resource shortages and increasing inflation, people are finding it difficult to purchase food and clothing. They are also unable to travel by car, which has affected accessibility and their ability to make a living.

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Health & Nutrition

In Sri Lanka’s rural and impoverished communities, a large number of people still lack basic sanitation facilities and clean water sources. Coupled with the lack of hygiene awareness and infrastructure, the water they use are not properly treated for consumption.

Today, as the country is in a crisis, their medical and health services have been badly hit. Many of their hospitals are facing operational challenges, affecting patients in dire need of life-saving assistance. Many families are unable to afford basic food due to food shortages and high food prices. The rising food insecurity will increase malnutrition, disease and mortality rates, while complicating Sri Lanka’s multiple societal challenges.

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Stories

When her husband left the family, Selvi saw it as an opportunity for self-improvement and became an entrepreneur.
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The pitter patter of rain is often a soothing sound for many, but not for Vinithan and his family.
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Siblings Asanthakumari and Asanthakumar did not have a happy childhood, but having each other made a whole lot of difference.
READ MORE
From fighting all the time to staying up all night chatting, Yohan’s parents have come a long way.
READ MORE
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Violence, exploitation, abuse and neglect can create a host of problems for children. They will be pushed further into poverty and their health, survival, safety and psychosocial development will also be affected.

3 major factors

contributing to child protection issues:

Poverty and family dysfunction
Poverty and dysfunctional family relationships lead to child labour, neglect and other forms of violence
Lack of laws and policies on child rights
Weaknesses in law, poor enforcement and under-resourced social services lead to violations of children’s rights
Lack of child protection awareness
Children and families are unaware about fundamental child rights, and may directly or indirectly contribute to child protection issues

3 major effects

when there is a lack of child protection systems:

Exploitation of child rights
Children who are forced into child labour and child marriage are robbed of the opportunities to learn, develop and fully realise their potential
Children are physically and mentally affected
Exposure to violence can impair physical and mental development, and has high costs for individuals and society
Social and economic consequences on a global scale
Children exposed to violence are more likely to drop out of school, undermining the social and economic development of communities and nations

3 major factors

contributing to child protection issues:

Poverty and family dysfunction
Poverty and dysfunctional family relationships lead to child labour, neglect and other forms of violence
Lack of child protection awareness
Children and families are unaware about fundamental child rights, and may directly or indirectly contribute to child protection issues
Lack of laws and policies on child rights
Weaknesses in law, poor enforcement and under-resourced social services lead to violations of children’s rights

3 major effects

when there is a lack of child protection systems:

Exploitation of child rights
Children who are forced into child labour and child marriage are robbed of the opportunities to learn, develop and fully realise their potential
Children are physically and mentally affected
Exposure to violence can impair physical and mental development, and has high costs for individuals and society
Social and economic consequences on a global scale
Children exposed to violence are more likely to drop out of school, undermining the social and economic development of communities and nations

The World Bank estimates that between 2021 and 2022, roughly 2.7 million additional Sri Lankans have fallen into poverty. According to the World Food Programme’s latest food security assessment of Sri Lanka in 2022, three in 10 households across the country face food insecurity.

3 major factors

affecting livelihoods:

Lack of technology, skills and resources for sustainable livelihoods
A lack of agriculture facilities, technology and skills lead to poor harvests, meagre incomes and reduced food purchasing power
Lack of capacity to respond to natural disasters
Droughts, floods and COVID-19 can disrupt the livelihoods of vulnerable families
Inability to meet food needs
Those with no job opportunities or low household income are unable to meet their minimum food requirements

3 major effects

of poor livelihoods:

Unstable household income
Apart from food insecurity, families with insufficient household income are unable to pay for their children’s education, health needs and more
Many relocate to find work
Low levels of education and a lack of livelihood skills have caused many to move away from home to work as daily wage workers
High rates of malnutrition
Nutritious food cost more. Those who cannot afford it suffer from malnutrition

3 major factors

affecting livelihoods:

Lack of technology, skills and resources for sustainable livelihoods
A lack of agriculture facilities, technology and skills lead to poor harvests, meagre incomes and reduced food purchasing power
Lack of capacity to respond to natural disasters
Droughts, floods and COVID-19 can disrupt the livelihoods of vulnerable families
Inability to meet food needs
Those with no job opportunities or low household income are unable to meet their minimum food requirements

3 major effects

of poor livelihoods:

Unstable household income
Apart from food insecurity, families with insufficient household income are unable to pay for their children’s education, health needs and more
Many relocate to find work
Low levels of education and a lack of livelihood skills have caused many to move away from home to work as daily wage workers
High rates of malnutrition
Nutritious food cost more. Those who cannot afford it suffer from malnutrition

Children who are underweight may be stunted, wasted, or both. Those who are moderately or severely wasted has an increased risk of death, while stunted children have impaired physical growth and cognitive development.

3 major factors

influencing health & nutrition:

Poor infant and young child feeding practices
Poor maternal health and nutritional status; lack of knowledge on proper infant and young child feeding practices
Lack of healthcare knowledge and services
Vulnerable communities have low health awareness and lack access to healthcare services
Lack of water and sanitation facilities
Communities are susceptible to water-borne diseases due to a lack of water and sanitation facilities, and poor personal and environmental hygiene

3 MAJOR CONSEQUENCES ​

of poor health & nutrition:

Young children are at higher risk of illness and death
Children born to malnourished mothers are more likely to die before reaching age five
Impaired physical and mental development among children
Hunger can have long-term effects on children’s physical and mental development, including their social skills
Socio-economic implications
Malnutrition increases healthcare costs, reduces productivity and impedes economic growth

3 major factors

influencing health & nutrition:

Poor infant and young child feeding practices
Poor maternal health and nutritional status; lack of knowledge on proper infant and young child feeding practices
Lack of healthcare knowledge and services
Vulnerable communities have low health awareness and lack access to healthcare services
Lack of water and sanitation facilities
Communities are susceptible to water-borne diseases due to a lack of water and sanitation facilities, and poor personal and environmental hygiene

3 major consequences

of poor health & nutrition:

Young children are at higher risk of illness and death
Children born to malnourished mothers are more likely to die before reaching age five
Impaired physical and mental development among children
Hunger can have long-term effects on children’s physical and mental development, including their social skills
Socio-economic implications
Malnutrition increases healthcare costs, reduces productivity and impedes economic growth
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