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Global Hunger Index
What do we know about the hunger situation worldwide? Has progress been made or are there any setbacks? Using the Global Hunger Index, the global hunger situation can be calculated and assessed.
The Global Hunger Index (GHI) is a tool to measure and compare the severity of various hunger indicators, such as malnutrition and child mortality. Welthungerhilfe (WHH) releases the index annually with global, regional, and national figures. The GHI raises awareness of the need to combat hunger, highlights the regions where additional resources are most urgently needed, and provides recommendations for action to end hunger.
Global Hunger Index 2024: Overcoming stagnation in the fight against hunger through greater gender equality
The GHI 2024 shows that we are far from achieving the 2030 goal of Zero Hunger. 42 countries have alarming or serious levels of hunger. After decades of significant progress in the fight against hunger, development has entered a phase of stagnation. In some countries, hunger is even on the rise again. 2.8 billion people cannot afford a healthy diet. Moreover, many countries and regions are experiencing acute food crises and famine. There is a blatant disregard for the right to food and international humanitarian law worldwide.
The reason for this is a variety of intersecting crises and challenges. Climate change and environmental degradation threaten the natural foundations of the economy and food production in many regions. Old and new armed conflicts, such as the civil war in Sudan, drive people from their homes and lead to severe disruptions in the food system, making the cultivation of fields impossible and destroying production and processing facilities and transportation routes. The above crises are part of the reason for the high food prices in many regions, which endanger vulnerable countries and people in particular. At the same time, many lower-income countries are stuck in a debt trap and have to use their state revenues to service foreign debt – money better spent on development and social measures.
Women are often particularly affected by food insecurity and the effects of climate change. Discriminatory norms and violence hinder their access to resources and limit their ability to cope with crises. Improving their opportunities for action could be an essential lever for overcoming the stagnation in the fight against hunger.
Climate change impacts and conflicts hinder progress
Globally, the GHI categorizes the threat of hunger as moderate in 2024 – the GHI score for the entire planet is 18.3, only slightly below the 2016 score of 18.8 (a lower score is equivalent to less hunger). Since then, hunger levels have worsened in 22 countries with moderate, serious, or alarming hunger scores, and progress has stalled in 20 other countries in these categories. At the current rate of development, at least 64 countries will not reach the low hunger target by 2030.
The situation remains most difficult in Africa south of the Sahara, where the overall nutritional situation is serious. This region has the highest rates of malnutrition and child mortality in the world. It is severely affected by climate change, and the armed conflicts in Somalia and Sudan are leading straight into the next hunger crisis. Hunger levels are also serious in South Asia, where Afghanistan, India and Pakistan in particular, are facing significant challenges. The accumulation of severe natural disasters has also partially thwarted positive development efforts.
Despite all the crises, there are still some success stories. Mozambique and Nepal, for example, have improved their index score by around 30% since 2016. Other countries, such as Bangladesh, Mongolia, Togo, and, in the face of significant issues, Somalia, have also made progress in the same period, bucking the global trend.
Gender equity reduces hunger
A closer look at the situation in individual countries reveals that food insecurity and vulnerability to climate change often correlate with gender inequality. In countries with high levels of hunger, such as Yemen or Chad, women are often severely disadvantaged and the food system is particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Discriminatory norms and sexualized violence against women mean that women and girls are more exposed to food insecurity and the consequences of climate change; in some areas, the proportion of people affected by food insecurity is up to 19 percentage points higher for women than for men.
At the same time, the potential of women to contribute to solving nutritional problems and climate resilience is unrealized. Their systematic disadvantage in access to education, skilled work, land ownership and financial resources means their labor productivity is lower on average. According to studies by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), closing the work and productivity gap between women and men alone could increase global GDP by 1 percent and free 45 million people from food insecurity.
The pursuit of gender justice has various aspects. Discriminatory social norms must change to raise awareness of the problems and needs of women (recognition justice). Women should have equal access to economic resources and educational opportunities (redistributive justice). They must also be adequately represented in politics and business at all decision-making levels so that their perspectives and interests are taken into account in the long term (representative justice).
Young people must play a leading role in transforming food systems. Today, many young people are growing up in a system that neither provides them with food security nor allows them to participate in processes that affect their future. Suppose we want to achieve a state of food sovereignty in which people can exercise the right to healthy, culturally appropriate, sustainably produced food. In that case, we need the energy and innovation of young people. Therefore, we need to empower the young generation and involve them more in policy-making processes in the food system. Agriculture and food systems must be redesigned to offer young people real prospects in life – in self-determined living situations and responsible positions.
Where is hunger most severe?
This year's Global Hunger Index shows that hunger levels in many countries need urgent attention.
This year's GHI shows that hunger levels in many countries need urgent attention.
Six countries - Chad, Madagascar, Yemen, Burundi, Somalia and South Sudan - have alarming levels of hunger, and 34 have serious levels of hunger. Food insecurity persists in some areas even in regions and countries that are performing well. However, there are signs of progress: for example, contrary to the trend, five countries have achieved reductions of five points or more between their 2016 and 2024 GHI scores, including Bangladesh and Nepal.
How is the Global Hunger Index Calculated?
The countries analyzed can be categorized according to whether their hunger level is extremely alarming, alarming, serious, moderate or low. The higher the value, the higher the severity of hunger in the country.
The 4 Indicators of the Global Hunger Index
- Undernourishment: the proportion of the population whose caloric needs are not met.
- Child stunting: the proportion of children under five years of age who are too short for their age, evidence of chronic undernourishment.
- Child wasting: the proportion of children under five years of age weighing too little in relation to their respective heights, evidence of acute undernourishment.
- Child mortality: the proportion of children who die before their fifth birthday, reflecting in part the fatal interaction of inadequate nutrition and an unhealthy environment.
The report is published jointly by Welthungerhilfe (WHH), the Alliance 2015 partner Concern Worldwide and the Institute for International Law of Peace and Armed Conflict at the Ruhr University Bochum.
