Partnerships to Catalyze Action to End Hunger and Malnutrition

Every child deserves the nourishment they need to develop a healthy body and mind, and every family deserves access to enough of the right food to put on the table. However, despite this fundamental right, the global food crisis continues unabated, severely impacting the most vulnerable populations. According to the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) Report 2024, approximately 733 million people faced hunger, with 1 in 11 people worldwide and 1 in 5 people in Africa affected. Child hunger and malnutrition are at their worst in generations: 148.1 million children under five are stunted and 45 million children are wasted, the most life-threatening form of malnutrition, that will have devastating life-long consequences for the health and well-being. Nearly one-third of the global population—2.33 billion people—lack adequate food. Acute hunger reached a historic high of 281.6 million people across 59 countries, and 36 million people in 39 countries were on the brink of famine. Projections for 2030 estimate that 582 million people will suffer from chronic undernourishment.

Economic barriers further exacerbate these challenges, with 2.83 billion people unable to afford healthy diets and approximately 30% of women globally experiencing moderate to severe food insecurity. Humanitarian needs are escalating, with nearly 300 million people, including 1 in 5 children affected by conflict, requiring assistance in 2024. Additionally, displacement due to food crises has surged, impacting over 90 million people, with a significant portion being internally displaced.

To galvanize and support governments, civil society, and other stakeholders' efforts to reverse the current trend, in July the government of Brazil established the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty. This initiative aims to eradicate hunger and poverty by enhancing global partnerships, mobilizing resources, and scaling up successful policies and practices. It seeks to address the global food crisis by uniting nations and stakeholders and building resilient, sustainable, and nutritious food systems.

On July 24th in Rio de Janeiro, the Alliance held its pre-launch event and formally released its Foundational Documents. This significant event, hosted by President Lula and endorsed by presidents of multilateral banks, UN agencies, and international authorities, marked the beginning of an open invitation for all countries to formally join the Alliance by submitting a statement of commitment, ahead of the official launch of the Alliance at the G20 Summit in November.

Host or Publisher World Vision, IEP