Beyond Hunger: the gendered impact of the global hunger crisis
This report presents new evidence on the gendered impacts of the current global hunger crisis from eight of the countries most affected.
Food security and nutrition
The world is failing girls, but we won’t. Hunger is stealing futures, forcing families into impossible choices. When food runs out, girls are the first pulled from school and the last to eat. But they aren’t backing down and neither are we. We stand beside girls to build a future where all children are free from hunger and malnutrition.
Why this matters
Hunger is at crisis levels. Over 294 million people face acute food insecurity and 37.7 million children and 10.9 million pregnant and breastfeeding women suffer from acute malnutrition — a condition that can be fatal if untreated.
Girls are hit hardest. When food runs out, they eat least and last, are pulled from school first and face increased risks of child marriage and gender-based violence. Hunger doesn’t just cause malnutrition — it steals futures.
The world has seen hunger before, but not on this scale.
What are the main causes of hunger globally?
Conflict
Armed conflicts like in Sudan, Gaza and Ukraine disrupt food production, displace huge numbers of people, restrict humanitarian access and destroy infrastructure and livelihoods.
Effects of climate change
Droughts, floods and cyclones are increasingly frequent due to climate change. This means it is harder to reliably produce food.
Economic shocks
Inflation and rising food and fuel prices mean families have less money and governments are less able to subsidise prices. The lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and other disruptions to global supply chains are also pushing families deeper into poverty.
The dinner ladies of Kilifi County
In Kilifi County, Kenya, a group of local mothers has stepped in as dinner ladies, making sure children get a hot meal – and therefore keep coming to class.
How are girls affected by hunger?
- When food is in short supply, girls and women eat least and last and consume less nutritious food.
- Girls and young women have higher nutritional needs at key life stages such as during early childhood development, during adolescence due to rapid growth and onset of periods and when pregnant or breastfeeding. Hunger causes low immunity, cognitive impairment, stunted growth and causes poor health across generations.
- Acute hunger forces children to drop out of school, with girls likely to be taken out first. When they do attend, hunger negatively affects their concentration and ability to learn.
- Food insecurity increases the risk of gender-based violence as girls travel further to find food and water. There is also evidence that rates of child marriage increase during food shortages.
- Access to sexual and reproductive health services is compromised during hunger crises. When food prices increase, families have less money for menstrual health products and contraceptives.
- Hunger causes girls immense stress, anxiety and depression. Constant worry and physical weakness severely diminish their well-being and security.
School gardening clubs in Burkina Faso
Children at school gardening clubs in Burkina Faso are fed, safe and educated despite conflict and a devastating hunger crisis.
How is Plan International responding to hunger?
Our Hunger Response and Resilience Unit provides care and support for malnourished children and addresses the root causes of poverty and inequality in line with international humanitarian standards.
We work with partners to provide lifesaving assistance, and our evidence-based programmes address the main causes of hunger and increase communities’ resilience.
The level of hunger globally calls for extraordinary responses, innovative approaches and new initiatives. We are strengthening our processes so we can respond quickly and improve decision making in a rapidly changing context, accelerating fundraising efforts and developing new partnerships.
We are a member of the Strategic Advisory Group of the Global Food Security Cluster as well as being a member of the Global Nutrition Cluster.
Lifesaving response
Our life saving food security and nutrition work supports the most vulnerable. This includes:
- Preventing and treating acute malnutrition among young children, adolescent girls and pregnant and breastfeeding mothers.
- Ensuring optimal nutrition for mothers, infants and young children.
- School meals programmes.
- General food assistance programmes.
- Cash and voucher assistance to families who are at risk.
Building resilience
With climate change, environmental degradation, water scarcity, disease outbreaks and conflict causing hunger, increasing communities’ resilience and helping them build back after disasters is key. This work includes:
- Supporting communities to be prepared for the effects of disasters and climate change.
- Improving social protection systems including promoting climate-smart agriculture, school gardening, supply chain management, logistics and emergency communications to prevent crises or support quick responses.
International advocacy
We are calling on all donors, governments and key stakeholders to act urgently and save lives by:
- Funding urgent humanitarian needs for 50 million people on the brink of famine.
- Prioritising lifesaving responses to hunger that keep girls safe, in school and healthy.
- Enabling humanitarian access and peace in conflict zones.
Join us
Hunger shouldn’t steal a girl’s future. Together, we can tear down barriers and build a world where equality for girls leads to progress for all.
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