The world is in the midst of its most severe hunger crisis ever, with unprecedented levels of acute hunger across the globe.
Millions of children face the world’s worst hunger crisis ever.
At least 345 million people in 79 countries face acute food insecurity, and 50 million people are on the brink of famine.
More than 35 million children under 5 years of age suffer from wasting, which is the most visible and life-threatening form of malnutrition.
If no action is taken now, many more lives will be lost and the devastating impact on the lives of children, particularly girls, will be felt for decades to come.
In the face of chronic hunger, understanding the scope and causes of this crisis is more critical than ever. From armed conflict and extreme weather events to the long-lasting socio-economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, global hunger levels are at a critical point. Here are some facts about global hunger and food insecurity.
- There are a number of major drivers of hunger. COVID-19’s lingering effects, severe weather events and conflicts are primary factors. In 19 countries, 117.1 million people faced crises or higher levels of food insecurity. Economic shocks exceeded conflict as the main driver in three countries: Afghanistan, South Sudan, and Syria. Additionally, a spike in gang violence in Haiti also escalated serious acute food insecurity.
- Food insecurity is increasing at an alarming level. In 2022, almost 258 million people across 58 countries experienced crisis-level food insecurity or worse, according to the World Food Program (WFP). Crisis levels and above indicate that people affected have so little food that their lives or livelihoods are in immediate danger. This number of people is the highest on record and represents the fourth successive year of increasing acute food insecurity globally.
- Families often have to make distressing choices because of food insecurity. When parents don’t have enough to eat or money to buy food, they must often make difficult and dangerous decisions that impact their children’s well-being and put them at risk of violence. Children are vulnerable to situations like child marriage, child labor, and separation when their families are desperately searching for food.
- There are devastating consequences to food infections. Conflicts, wars, economic crises, and extreme weather events such as droughts can cause people to abandon their homes. When people are displaced, they can lose access to essential resources such as food, clean water and healthcare, and become more vulnerable to hunger and malnutrition. The number of forcefully displaced people, including refugees and those internally displaced, reached 110 million at the end of June 2023.
- Forty — five million children are dangerously malnourished These 45 million children suffer from wasting, also known as acute malnutrition, with more than 1 million children dying each year. Additionally, in 2022, 22% of children under 5 will face stunting, characterized by low height-for-age and resulting from chronic undernutrition. This places children at risk of irreversible cognitive and physical effects. Most children with stunted live in Asia (52%) or Africa (43%).
