ISLAMABAD: While climate shocks such as floods and droughts are increasingly threatening children’s access to food, the latest estimates show more than 1.4 million babies were born into hunger in Pakistan in 2024.
Pakistan, one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries, saw the second highest number of babies born into hunger among countries with over 20 percent under-nourishment, according to the analysis of Save the Children, an international non-governmental organisation, released on December 30.
At least 18.2 million children were born into hunger in 2024, or about 35 children a minute, with conflict and climate crises combining to drive at least 800,000 more children into hunger over the year, the analysis shows.
According to the analysis, more than 21.5m children were born into hunger in 2001. In 2018, the number dropped to about 14.5m but then jumped up to 15.3m in 2019. In 2024, there were an estimated 18.2m undernourished births at a minimum.
The child rights organisation says children are always the most vulnerable in food crises and without enough to eat and the right nutritional balance, children are at high risk of becoming acutely malnourished. Malnutrition can cause stunting, impede mental and physical development, increase the risk of contracting deadly diseases, and ultimately cause death.
In countries where at least 20pc of the population is facing hunger, Congo was expected to have the highest number of babies born undernourished this year at around 1.6m with conflict remaining a key driver of hunger in in the country and globally.
Save the Children is calling on world leaders to address the root causes of acute food and nutrition insecurity including working harder to reduce conflicts, tackling the climate crisis and global inequality, and by building more resilient health, nutrition and social protection systems.
Published in Dawn, December 31st, 2024
