MISSISSAUGA, ON, June 17, 2026 /CNW/ - Ahead of World Refugee Day on June 20^th, World Vision Canada warns that shrinking humanitarian assistance is pushing displaced children and families deeper into hunger and risk. The report, In the Shadow of Hunger: The Power of Self-Reliance to Protect Children and Restore Hope shows that aid cuts are linked to worse child protection outcomes, while self-reliance helps reduce those risks.

The study, conducted by World Vision International with the World Food Programme (WFP), draws on 3,494 household surveys, 32 focus group discussions and 45 key informant interviews across Bangladesh, Burundi, Chad, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Myanmar, South Sudan and Uganda.

Key findings from the report include:

• 57 percent of surveyed households had at least one member go to sleep hungry in the past four weeks.
• Children in households facing cuts in assistance were 64 percent more likely to leave school to work, 2.3 times more likely to experience child marriage and 2.1 times more likely to be separated from their families.
• Higher household self-reliance was associated with 56 percent lower odds of children begging for food or money, 38 percent lower odds of leaving school to work, 33 percent lower odds of child marriage and 31 percent lower odds of family separation.

World Vision Canada says the findings show why immediate lifesaving aid still matters, alongside longer-term support that helps families rebuild stability and dignity. It is also calling for coordinated action by governments, donors, UN agencies, NGOs, civil society and the private sector to protect refugee rights, expand access to work and movement, and invest in integrated programming that strengthens self-reliance over time.

Quotes

"World Refugee Day is a reminder that displaced children should not be left to carry the burden of shrinking aid," said Allison Alley, President and CEO of World Vision Canada. "Poverty and injustice do not have to be permanent realities. When assistance is cut, families are forced into impossible choices, and children are pushed closer to hunger, school dropout and early marriage. Emergency assistance saves lives, but if we want to build a better future, families also need livelihoods, safe access to work and other ways to rebuild self-reliance."

"When food ran out, families were trying to survive on whatever they could find," said Aldouma Abaker, displaced from Sudan now in Libya and a member of the Refugee Education Council. "Volunteer kitchens helped keep children alive, but they were stretched far beyond what they could provide. Families need more than emergency food - they need the chance to rebuild stability, earn an income, and give children a future."

About World Vision Canada: World Vision Canada is a Christian relief, development and advocacy organization working to create lasting change in the lives of children, families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice. Inspired by our Christian values, World Vision is dedicated to working with the world's most vulnerable people regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender.

SOURCE World Vision Canada