In humanitarian crises, food security is often treated as a standalone goal. But World Vision is helping shift that paradigm — proving that protecting children must be central to how we feed, recover, and rebuild. Together with the Child Protection Area of Responsibility, the Alliance for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action, Plan International, and the Food Security Cluster, World Vision is setting a new standard: one where child well-being is not an afterthought, but a core outcome of humanitarian response.

World Vision Afghanistan supported 146,253 people with health, nutrition, WASH, food security, protection & child wellbeing from June–July 2025.

Fifteen-year-old Muslimo* never imagined her childhood would end this way. Once a hopeful student in Ethiopia, she now spends her days cooking, cleaning, and caring for her younger siblings in a displacement camp in Doolow, Somalia. Hunger has taken the place of learning.

Brikena Zogaj and Lilian Mumbi, World Vision Technical Experts, emphasise that hunger is not just a food issue but a protection crisis, especially for children who face exploitation, early marriage, and displacement due to food insecurity. They highlight how integrating child protection into food aid programmes—such as those by World Vision—can safeguard children and improve long-term outcomes. The authors call on global actors to fund and prioritise child-focused, integrated approaches to ensure children are not only fed but also protected and empowered.