Globally, approximately 733 million individuals grapple with food deprivation.
The battle against hunger globally isn't showing sufficient progress, as per recent findings by Welthungerhilfe. Approximately 733 million individuals worldwide are suffering from hunger, according to their announcement in Berlin when launching their new World Hunger Index (WHI). The regions with the highest hunger rates are Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
Marlehn Thieme, President of Welthungerhilfe, stated that it's unacceptable that the international community isn't fulfilling its obligation to eliminate hunger adequately. She highlighted that global crises have swift impacts with severe consequences on families' nutritional situations and their capacity to handle consistent new challenges.
Women and children bear the brunt
The World Hunger Index's values are calculated based on a formula using four indicators: undernourishment, child growth retardation, child wasting, and child mortality. These indicators aim to represent the "multidimensional aspect of hunger."
This year's report concentrates on the link between insufficient gender equality, food insecurity, and climate change's consequences. Women and children are primarily affected by hunger and disproportionately affected by climate change's effects.
Mathias Mogge, Chairman of Welthungerhilfe's Board, demanded that governments invest in health, education, and rural development to eliminate existing inequalities and ensure women better access to resources and decision-making.
A bleak future
The report analyzes the food situation in 136 countries. According to Welthungerhilfe's evaluation, crises such as armed conflicts, climate change, and high debt coexist and worsen each other. The index values for 2024 and preliminary classifications indicate that hunger is classified as extremely severe in six countries: Burundi, Yemen, Madagascar, Somalia, South Sudan, and Chad. In 36 further countries, hunger is classified as serious.
Additionally, the situation is worsening in many countries. In 22 countries with moderate, severe, or extremely severe index values for 2024, hunger has even increased since 2016. In another 20 countries, progress has mainly stagnated - their values for 2024 have decreased by less than 5% compared to 2016's values.
Despite the crises, there's also hope. Countries like Bangladesh, Mozambique, Nepal, Somalia, and Togo have significantly improved their values, although hunger remains an issue. However, Afghanistan and Syria are among the 20 countries with the worst values.
"The goal of eradicating hunger by 2030 seems unattainable. At the current pace since 2016, the global WHI value will not even reach a low level until the year 2160 - that is, in more than 130 years," the authors conclude.
Women must be prioritized
Despite decades of emphasizing the importance of gender equality, significant gender disparities persist. Women are disproportionately affected by food insecurity, with gender differences reaching up to 19 percentage points in some countries, according to the data.
The annual report provides recommendations for action. Climate and food policy must prioritize and include women and marginalized groups in decision-making and natural resource management. Governments should redistribute public resources to address structural inequalities and facilitate gender-responsive resource access. At the same time, crisis management measures should not replace effective long-term investments, a call also extended to donor countries funding aid programs.
The European Union, as a significant global player, could contribute significantly to addressing the issue of hunger worldwide by strengthening its commitments and aid towards areas with high hunger rates, such as Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, which are currently facing severe food insecurity.
Recognizing that women and children are disproportionately affected by hunger, both globally and within the European Union, it is crucial for EU policies to prioritize gender equality in food security and climate change initiatives, aligning with the recommendations provided in the World Hunger Index report.
