An economic meltdown in Sri Lanka has turned into a full-blown hunger crisis.
Half the families in the island nation have been forced to reduce the amount they feed their children, according to “save the children”, a child rights charity. According to the charity, the Sri Lankan government and the international community must act now to prevent the country’s children from “becoming a lost generation”.
Since late 2021, the south Asian island nation is in the grip of its worst ever economic crisis, fueled by a lack of foreign reserves and mounting foreign government debt. The country of 22 million people has sought help from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) after defaulting on its $46 billion debt last April. The default led to soaring inflation, as well as food, medicine, and fuel shortages. A lack of stable employment means many Sri Lankan families have been unable to cope. Nine out of 10 households said they cannot guarantee nutritious food for their children.
