Over 1.4 Million Babies Born into Hunger in Pakistan in 2024 Amid Climate Shocks
ISLAMABAD: Climate shocks, including floods and droughts, are increasingly jeopardizing children’s access to food in Pakistan. In 2024, over 1.4 million babies were born into hunger, highlighting the nation’s struggle as one of the most climate-vulnerable countries globally.
Pakistan recorded the second-highest number of babies born into hunger among nations with over 20% of their population facing undernourishment, according to a report released by Save the Children, an international NGO, on Monday.
Globally, at least 18.2 million children were born into hunger in 2024 — approximately 35 every minute. Conflict and climate crises have pushed an additional 800,000 children into hunger this year alone.
Rising Trends in Global Hunger
Save the Children’s analysis reveals that in 2001, 21.5 million children were born into hunger. This number dropped to 14.5 million by 2018 but began rising again, reaching 18.2 million in 2024. The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) data showed a 5% increase in hungry newborns compared to 2023, marking a 19% rise since 2019, when progress against childhood hunger began to reverse.
Factors contributing to the global rise in child hunger include conflict, displacement, extreme weather events, and soaring food costs.
Countries at Risk
In 2024, children born into hunger included those in regions at risk of famine, such as South Sudan, Haiti, Mali, and Sudan, where acute malnutrition has affected half the country. The Gaza Strip also faces dire conditions, with 345,000 people at risk of catastrophic hunger in the coming months.
Hannah Stephenson, Global Head of Hunger and Nutrition at Save the Children, stressed, “Over 18 million newborns this year — 35 children a minute — enter a world where hunger is their reality from their first breath. Hunger robs children of energy, education, and future prospects.”
Urgent Action Needed
Save the Children emphasized the urgent need for humanitarian aid, including food, healthcare, safe water, sanitation, and social protection services. Tackling the root causes of hunger—such as conflict, climate change, and inequality—remains critical to reversing this devastating trend.
Malnourished children face life-threatening risks, including stunted growth, developmental delays, increased vulnerability to disease, and higher mortality rates.
Global Inequality in Hunger
Congo topped the list of nations with the highest number of undernourished newborns in 2024, with 1.6 million babies born into hunger due to ongoing conflict.
Save the Children urged world leaders to strengthen health, nutrition, and social protection systems, reduce conflicts, and prioritize climate action to combat global hunger effectively.
Addressing these challenges is essential to safeguarding the futures of millions of children worldwide.
