UN Goal to end world hunger – Set Back 15 years

The UN sustainable development goal to end world hunger, set for 2030, is now facing a significant setback and is likely to be missed by at least 15 years, according to the UN state of Food security and Nutrition in the world (SOFI) report.  

In 2023, around 733 million people were affected by this urgent global crisis and facing hunger every single day; this is equivalent to one in eleven people globally and one in five people in Africa. It is devastating to see that this also impacts the children of the population, leading to many severe health complications. In fact, it is estimated that around 149 million children under five years old are stunted due to malnutrition.  

These devastating and alarming statistics show no improvement to earlier years, instead, they show significant regression and decrease in progress. 

World hunger is a complicated matter, as it is caused by other global issues. Poverty and Inequality are tied to hunger and unfortunately, they often go hand in hand. This traps the population into a vicious cycle that is incredibly difficult to break, as we can imagine through the shocking statistics mentioned above. However, the main factors and events that specifically contribute to the setback in the UN Zero Hunger Goal, created by the United Nations in 2015, includes climate change; geopolitical conflicts; and the Covid 19 Pandemic.  

In terms of climate change, natural disasters such as droughts and flooding, are incredibly harmful and destructive towards crops, and especially affect populations and cultures that are reliant on farming and agriculture as a source of nutrition. Regarding geopolitical conflicts, these have a notable impact on a country’s economy and overall stability, often creating unreliability and insecurity towards necessities like food. Additionally, factors such as infrastructure destruction through war and conflict, humanitarian access restrictions, and environmental degradation are all contributing factors to the global crisis.  

As world hunger continues to exist and the setbacks faced by the UN are presented to us, it is difficult to even begin to imagine the devastation and difficulty of world hunger, a heartbreaking reality for one in eleven people around the world. This means that one in eleven people, including children, go to bed hungry at night; are deprived of opportunities; suffer from medical issue complications; and will never live their life to their full potential.  

Work cited:  

World. “Hunger Numbers Stubbornly High for Three Consecutive Years as Global Crises Deepen: UN Report.” Who.int, World Health Organization: WHO, 24 July 2024, www.who.int/news/item/24-07-2024-hunger-numbers-stubbornly-high-for-three-consecutive-years-as-global-crises-deepen--un-report. Accessed 14 Oct. 2024. 

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Schlein, Lisa. “Progress in Ending World Hunger Set Back by Global Crises.” Voice of America, Voice of America (VOA News), 24 July 2024, www.voanews.com/a/progress-in-ending-world-hunger-set-back-by-global-crises/7710823.html. Accessed 14 Oct. 2024. 

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“Who Does Hunger Affect? - Donate to Save Lives Today | Action against Hunger.” Action against Hunger, 12 Aug. 2024, www.actionagainsthunger.org/the-hunger-crisis/world-hunger-facts/who-does-hunger-affect/. Accessed 14 Oct. 2024. 

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“The Top 10 Causes of World Hunger.” Concern Worldwide, 2024, www.concern.net/news/causes-of-world-hunger. Accessed 14 Oct. 2024. 

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