Hollywood actor Liam Neeson has criticised aid cuts to poorer nations after visiting South Sudan, where an estimated 2.3 million children face severe malnutrition due to civil war. The UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador spent six days in the landlocked country meeting mothers whose children are at risk of starvation.
Neeson highlighted that funding reductions by wealthier countries have led to the closure of 186 nutrition treatment sites, leaving vulnerable families without essential services. UNICEF expects a 20% drop in funding over the next four years, with only five social workers per 100,000 children currently available.
Speaking about his visit, Neeson said: “I was deeply saddened by seeing so many malnourished children. They are hauntingly quiet when they should be laughing, sleeping when they should be playing, crying when they should be smiling.” He added: “The world cannot turn its back on children like those I met in South Sudan. Funding cuts are threatening lifesaving programmes for children across the world.”
During his trip, Neeson met a mother whose seven-month-old child was admitted to a nutrition programme after losing weight, and after three weeks began to recover. He also encountered individuals affected by child marriage and gang recruitment. According to UNICEF, 50% of girls in South Sudan are at risk of child marriage, and 75% of women will experience gender-based violence in their lifetime.
The civil war has displaced over 12 million people, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis. Neeson urged that without treatment, nearly half of the malnourished children could die if not treated immediately.
