Hollywood star Liam Neeson has expressed strong disapproval towards the reduction of aid to underprivileged nations following his trip to South Sudan. Neeson, serving as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, spent six days in the landlocked country engaging with the mothers of children confronting starvation.
Approximately 2.3 million children in the conflict-hit South Sudan are currently in danger of severe malnutrition, with nearly half of them facing the risk of mortality without immediate intervention. Despite this urgent situation, financial cutbacks from wealthier nations have led to the closure of 186 nutrition treatment facilities, depriving vulnerable families of crucial support.
Reflecting on his experience, Neeson remarked, “I was deeply moved by the sight of numerous undernourished children. Instead of laughter, they are eerily silent; instead of play, they are asleep; and instead of smiles, they cry.” Concerned by the shutdown of treatment centers across the country, he questioned the fate of these children.
UNICEF anticipates a 20% decline in funding over the next four years, resulting in a ratio of only five social workers for every 100,000 children. Neeson, who also encountered young girls coerced into marriage, emphasized, “The global community must not abandon children like those I encountered in South Sudan. Reductions in funding jeopardize life-saving initiatives for children worldwide. We must either support them now or witness their prospects fade away.”
UNICEF is actively involved in South Sudan in treating severely malnourished children and implementing preventive measures such as enhancing diets and providing supplements to expectant mothers.
During his visit, Liam Neeson shared an impactful encounter, stating, “In Bor, Jonglei State, I met Ajier, the mother of seven-month-old Lual Malek. She sought help at the nutrition center after a community volunteer noticed Lual’s weight loss.” Lual was admitted to the outpatient program and has shown weight gain after three weeks, demonstrating the effectiveness of the treatment. Neeson highlighted the vital role of volunteer mothers in identifying and referring children in need of intervention, emphasizing that without these programs, many children would not have survived.
Furthermore, Neeson met individuals who had been victims of child marriage or recruited into gangs in the region. According to UNICEF, half of girls are at risk of child marriage, and 75% of girls and women are likely to experience gender-based violence in their lifetime.