Global Hunger Crisis
Drought has seen thousands of families being displaced from their homes in Somalia and hundreds of thousands of livestock have been lost. Saddam Mohamed/CARE
The situation
As inequality continues to rise around the world, increasingly unequal and fragile food systems-and the added pressures of conflict and increasing climate change-have led to over 800 million hungry people globally, a number that has grown over the last 3 years.
The ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the resulting disruption of food, fuel, and fertilizer markets has exacerbated an existing hunger crisis. This is particularly dire in contexts already experiencing humanitarian crises: Somalia, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Yemen, and other nations where access to nutritious and abundant food supply has long been taken for granted, like Morocco, Honduras, and Cuba.
Women and girls are disproportionately affected during any emergency context. Women are often responsible for securing and preparing their households’ food, yet they might also be the ones to eat “last and least.” Women are also more likely to be excluded from decision-making when it comes to addressing hunger in their communities (CARE 2020) and have reported increased incidences of gender-based violence.
Referred to as the lost decade for gender equality, COVID-19 has erased many of the gains that women leaders achieved over the last 20 years. The global hunger crisis risks making these setbacks even worse. Women will increasingly face pressure to abandon their budding small businesses, hand control over their farmlands to men growing cash crops, and spend more time finding and preparing food.
Donate now to help families facing food insecurity access life-saving resources.
What we are doing
CARE and our partners are already working in areas affected by the hunger crisis and by drought to provide immediate life-saving assistance. This includes distributing cash so that people can afford food and other essential supplies, supporting children suffering from malnutrition, and increasing access to primary health care. CARE’s programming also focuses on increasing access to clean water, good sanitation, and improving hygiene practices, as well as supporting people’s access to livelihoods.
We also work over the long term to ensure communities are prepared for hunger crises, ensuring people have the tools they need (seeds, etc.), and promoting Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLAs), climate smart agricultural methods, and cereal storage banks.
Disruption in global food supplies, combined with climate change-related droughts and intense storms are threatening women’s livelihoods around the world. These women must make the impossible choice between running their successful businesses, leading their communities and feeding their families.
CARE works with women and girls in crisis-affected communities to ensure their voices are heard, their unique needs are met, and their rights are upheld.
