IN THE SHADOW OF HUNGER
The power of self-reliance to protect children and restore hope
Webpage based on 2026 World Refugee Day report | © 2026 WORLD VISION INTERNATIONAL
As we approach World Refugee Day 2026, 1 in 5 children are either living in or fleeing conflict zones, and children make up 41% of all refugees. At the same time, programmes focused on children continue to be underfunded and additional cuts in assistance have exposed the most vulnerable to immediate and enduring dangers — visible in empty plates, shuttered schools, and a daily struggle to survive.
As hunger tightens its grip across the globe, World Vision remains hopeful. This year’s study charts a way forward.
In the shadow of hunger, self-reliance shields children from risks, restores agency, and turns survival into possibility, but it remains out of reach for many households.
Continue scrolling to read the digital highlights of our report or click here to access the full PDF version.
WE SPOKE TO PEOPLE IN 8 COUNTRIES
BANGLADESH
BURUNDI
CHAD
COLOMBIA
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO (DRC)
MYANMAR
SOUTH SUDAN
UGANDA
Keep scrolling for our key findings:
“We do what we can to survive. Everyone tries to make do with what they have. But it’s very difficult because job opportunities are scarce here. When there’s no regular income, it becomes almost impossible to feed the whole family properly.
I, for example, see that it’s mainly mothers that are most affected; they have to take care of the children, find food, all while trying to manage the household with very limited resources. The children also suffer indirectly. They have less to eat and less to go to school with. And in the community we all feel this pressure; those without jobs or stable incomes are entirely dependent on food assistance and this creates a lot of stress and anxiety about the future.
The first obstacle for self-reliance is lack of work. Without a job there is no regular income. Even if you want to do small income-generating activities, you lack capital support and opportunities.
We have basic needs that we cannot meet such as food, water, and healthcare. As long as these things are lacking, it is difficult for us to talk about self-reliance.
Working here is not easy. There are a few opportunities and sometimes we don’t even know exactly what types of work are allowed for us as refugees. On top of that, there are also social difficulties. For example, some husbands refuse to let their wives work, even if it could help the family. This further limits our options, especially for women who could trade or do other jobs. So often the only option left is to work for assistance or take on small occasional jobs when possible.”
— Woman, Chad
01 | FOOD INSECURITY
Refugee households are 1.7 times more likely to be food insecure, but no one is escaping the hunger crisis
The study found alarming levels of food insecurity across all eight countries. More than half (56%) of households reported experiencing food insecurity, with rates exceeding 80% among households in the DRC and South Sudan. Practically, this means that in most households, members regularly experience hunger and are often unable to eat due to food shortages.
Per cent of households (refugees, IDPs, host communities, and others) experiencing moderate or severe food insecurity by country:
Refugee households continue to face heightened risks of food insecurity. The study shows that in over half of refugee households, at least one household member went to sleep hungry in the past four weeks. Additionally, 40% of refugee households ate one or no meals in the 24 hours before the survey.
“In some cases, we get desperate because we don’t have food. Sometimes our parents worry that we might get sick from not eating, or sometimes we only eat once a day, and they have to look for work, and if they don’t find it, they get even more desperate. Sometimes the community helps us, but only when they can. And when they can't, in some cases, we get even more desperate because they can’t help the other person since they themselves don’t have money.”
— Child, Colombia
The study clearly indicated that as food insecurity rises, children's odds of experiencing negative outcomes increase exponentially, which was revealed in the following data.
Children belonging to food-insecure households are more likely to:
No child should have to bear the weight of feeding themselves, let alone supporting their entire household. Yet, when these crucial needs are left unmet, children will do what they need to do in order to survive:
“Some children are forced to work, beg or accept dangerous situations to get food or to help their families.”
— Boy, Chad
Food Insecurity in South Sudan | Case Study
02 | CUTS IN ASSISTANCE
Children are paying the price of shrinking humanitarian financing
Cuts in funding in early 2025 led to a stark 40% reduction in overall funding for humanitarian assistance compared to earlier years, which means that over 72% of humanitarian needs globally remained unmet in 2025.
Per cent of households receiving food assistance decreased in 2026 compared to 2025*
* These countries were featured in both the 2025 and 2026 editions of World Vision’s Ration Cuts report, and therefore comparable data is available.
These funding cuts are particularly devastating for households experiencing forced displacement that often rely on humanitarian assistance for survival.
“By the end of 2023, cash voucher amounts for each family member were reduced; [this caused] children not to want to go to school because their families can no longer provide regular morning breakfast. Food insecurity has also impacted the safety and protection of children. Because of food insecurity, many children go outside the camp to work and face the risk of being abducted.”
— Male, Bangladesh
As funding declines, emergency assistance also dwindles, and vulnerable children and households face growing challenges in meeting their basic survival needs. Projections for humanitarian needs suggest that over 200 million children will require humanitarian assistance in 2026.
Cuts in Assistance in Bangladesh | Case Study
03 | CHILD WELL-BEING
Child well-being is a key area where diminishing assistance and resulting increases in food insecurity intensify exposure to risks
Across the full sample, the study found concerning child education and protection outcomes, such as child labour (22%), irregular school attendance (21%), separation from parents due to food insecurity (11%), child marriage (8%), and exposure to violence, abuse, and neglect (8%) to be prevalent, and more so among refugee communities.
Findings of this study reveal that children whose families experience cuts to humanitarian assistance are more likely to:
The communities we surveyed are worried for the next generation. In DRC, one of the adult respondents pointed out: “Our children’s security is affected when they go to the streets looking for food.” Another adult respondent from Burundi stated:
“There is a high rate of juvenile delinquency linked to reduced food. Sexual violence has increased. Theft has increased, and diseases related to prolonged food shortages.”
Child protection risks are widespread in displacement contexts. The data also shows that children belonging to refugee households face higher odds of exposure to child protection risks compared to host communities. For example, this report found that over 24% of refugee households reported their children working. That is more than 1 in 5 refugee children forced to forsake their education in order to help their household provide for basic survival needs.
Per cent of respondents reporting exposure to child protection risks*
*All differences are statistically significant with p<0.05
“When there is no food, we feel hungry, have stomachaches, headaches, and dizziness. We feel that we are going to get sick or faint in class due to the heat and lack of food … and are unable to concentrate in class.”
— Child, Colombia
Households experiencing food insecurity also reported significant mental health challenges among their children.
A mental health specialist in Uganda described the potential catastrophic impacts of these stressors:
“Just last week, we received a case of attempted suicide of a 16-year-old girl in our area of operation. Upon interacting with her, she said that one of her sisters is experiencing pelvic ulcers, and they don’t have food, since their assistance was cut. This is what had triggered her suicide.”
— Mental Health and Psychosocial Support specialist, Uganda
04 | SELF-RELIANCE
A path forward: self-reliance is critical for ensuring holistic wellbeing of children
What is self-reliance? Self-reliance refers to an individual or household’s ability to support their basic needs without relying on external assistance. In general, whether a household experiences self-reliance, and to what degree, depends on a variety of factors, including access to employment opportunities, education, and legal protections, among others.
Across almost all areas, self-reliance emerged as an important protective factor, associated with substantially lower risks of harm for children. For example, higher household self-reliance is associated with a 56% reduction in children resorting to begging, a 33% reduction in child marriage, and a 38% reduction in children leaving school to work or beg. Among IDPs in the DRC and Myanmar, higher self-reliance is associated with 71% lower odds of children begging for food or money, 58% lower odds of children dropping out of school, and 44% lower odds of children managing domestic responsibilities.
Children belonging to households with higher self-reliance are less likely to:
“It is essential to develop employment opportunities for young people to provide support through access to improved seeds and appropriate techniques, and support livestock farming and market gardening. Technical assistance and training are also crucial for ensuring sustainability.”
— Health Centre Manager, Chad
And yet, self-reliance remains out of reach for many households. Protecting child wellbeing in the present and building sustainable wellbeing for the future requires both immediate assistance to secure basic needs and broader action to strengthen self-reliance and address barriers. The study found the following factors are critical in enabling households to build self-reliance:
“For me, a self-reliant household is one that doesn’t depend on others or on [humanitarian] support to live. In Kerfi, it is difficult to talk about completely self-reliant households. The majority rely on food aid. Some households are partially self-reliant if they have small livestock, a vegetable garden, or a member with an income-generating activity … I believe the primary resource needed is work that liberates people, meaning access to sustainable income-generative activities.”
— Health Centre Manager, Chad
“In our camp, few households have sufficient regular income. In most self-reliant households, risks of child labour, neglect, and violence are generally reduced. Self-reliance strengthens family stability and improves child protection. Conversely, lack of self-reliance exposes children to begging, child labour, exploitation, and risk of abduction.”
— Head of Camp, Chad
Self-reliance in Colombia | Case Study
OUR RECOMMENDATIONS
HOST GOVERNMENTS
Create inclusive policies and effective implementation measures that support self-reliance for refugees, internally displaced people (IDPs), host communities, and other vulnerable groups.
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