Children still suffering in South Sudan as sanctions talks begin, cautions World Vision

JUBA, South Sudan – As the UN discusses the potential for sanctions against the warring parties in South Sudan, World Vision is concerned that the desperate needs of children and their families will get lost in the conversation.

World Vision opposes the use of any economic sanctions that might have adverse effects on civilians. What matters most is that children can access food, health care, and shelter as the situation worsens.

“Everyone knows that famine is a real possibility here, with thousands of children already suffering from malnutrition and ongoing health problems due to the fighting,” said Perry Mansfield, national director of World Vision South Sudan.  “Everyone involved must keep children at the center of the conversation.”

World Vision is one of the many organizations urgently trying to raise funds and visibility for South Sudan in order to save the lives of fifty thousand children who could die from starvation in the coming months.