SOCIETY — March 12, 2026
UN's Guterres: Hunger Blocks Children's Path to Education
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that hunger blocking children's education means "we all lose," stressing school meals as lifesaving amid crises like Afghanistan's child malnutrition epidemic reported by UNICEF.
The Ehtebar Desk — originates with Hasht-e Subh — 2 min read
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated that when hunger blocks children's path to education, "we all lose."
Guterres wrote on his X account on Thursday that school meals are a "lifesaving" measure for children, strengthening learning, dignity and educational opportunities. He emphasized that providing children access to nutritious food in schools is an essential investment that must not be overlooked.
The statement comes amid ongoing crises in countries including Afghanistan, where children face shortages of nutritious food and acute malnutrition. The World Food Programme has previously said school meals can be lifesaving and vital for many children in Afghanistan.
UNICEF reports that 942,000 children in Afghanistan suffer from severe acute malnutrition, with around 700,000 others at risk of moderate acute malnutrition.
Read the original reporting at Hasht-e Subh →
Reliability assessment
Single source reports UN Secretary-General's direct statement on his X page (publicly checkable), with concrete, named attributions to UNICEF (942,000 children with severe malnutrition) and World Food Programme on Afghan context.
The source language reads straight.
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Hasht-e Subh
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Society — Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary-General, Afghanistan, child malnutrition, school meals
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