HONERSNOT at record high: almost 300 million people affected!

HONERSNOT at record high: almost 300 million people affected!

In 2024, almost 300 million people worldwide affected hunger, which is an alarming increase in acute nutritional uncertainty. According to the Global Report on Food Crises (GRFC), this is an increase of 13.7 million compared to the previous year. Children in particular are affected by the crisis, with almost 38 million under the age of five who suffer from acute malnutrition. "There is no excuse for hunger and malnutrition among children in a world of abundance," said Catherine Russell, Unicef's executive director. The causes of this acute nutritional uncertainty are diverse and include conflicts, economic crises and extreme weather events.

One of the summary findings of the GRFC is that the proportion of the population with acute nutritional uncertainty in the affected regions continues to be over 20 percent, a value that is now exceeded for the fifth year in a row. Special focal points are the conflict areas in the Gaza Strip, in Mali, in Sudan and in Yemen, where the malnutrition rates in children are particularly high. In the Gaza Strip, more than 90 percent of the population are affected by acute nutritional uncertainty. This unsustainable situation was also referred to by UN General Secretary António Guterres as an indictment against the current world situation.

The relevant causes

The main causes of acute nutritional uncertainty can be clearly defined: conflicts affect around 140 million people in 20 countries, while economic shocks, such as inflation and currency devaluation, strain 59.4 million people in 15 countries. Extreme weather events, especially the effects of El Niño, also affected over 96 million people in 18 countries. This was confirmed by the confirmation of a famine in Sudan, where over 700,000 children with life -threatening malnutrition have to struggle, which is one of the highest rates worldwide. In August 2024, a famine was found in a camp for refugees in Nord-Darfur, which spreads to the surrounding regions.

Nutritional uncertainty is additionally tightened by the increasing number of people who are forced to leave their homes due to conflicts. Almost 95 million people live in countries that are affected by nutritional crises, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Colombia, and Syria.

necessary measures

experts and organizations, including UNICEF, require evidence -based, impact -oriented measures to combat hunger and malnutrition. This includes an increased investment in local nutrition systems and the provision of integrated nutritional services to help the affected population groups. With the decline in financing for humanitarian aid, the nutritional situation could further deteriorate by 2025, which requires urgent need for action.

Unicef ​​is actively working in the affected areas, such as in Gaza, by providing therapeutic nutrition to supply badly malnourished children. The situation there is catastrophic due to lack of food, lack of water and inadequate medical care. The urgent call to the international community to support these crises remains unabated.

These alarming statistics and reports illustrate the urgency with which the global community has to react to the continued nutritional uncertainty in order to relieve the suffering of millions of people and ultimately achieve an end to malnutrition, especially in children.

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Unicef.de