Global Hunger Index

Measuring hunger is complicated. But if we are going to get to Zero Hunger, then we need to have some way of measuring progress. Since 2006, Concern has partnered with the International Food and Policy Research Institute and Welthungerhilfe to assess the progress and setbacks in ending hunger. The Global Hunger Index, a peer-reviewed report, offers a way to compare levels of hunger between countries and regions, allowing us — and other organizations and policy-makers around the world — to focus on areas where the need is greatest.

The 2024 GHI: Highlights

• Progress on ending hunger has stalled — and in some cases reversed — since 2015. In 22 countries, hunger levels have increased since 2016.
• Accessing adequate food (in terms of quality and quantity), a recognized human right, is not possible for 2.8 billion people.
• If progress continues at this pace, the world will not reach even low levels of hunger until 2160 — over 130 years from now.
• However, many countries are also making progress: Five countries have improved their GHI scores by more than five points since 2016.
• Hunger is an intersectional issue and has to be addressed accordingly. One key intersection to look at is the one between gender justice, climate justice, and nutritional justice.

Although progress to Zero Hunger has been made, gradually, since 2000, the 2021 Global Hunger Index shows that the world is not on track to achieve Zero Hunger by 2030, which is one of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. In many places, progress has been too slow, and is further threatened by the health, economic, and environmental crises of 2020. Read the full 2024 Global Hunger Index.

Download the 2024 Global Hunger Index

A report card for global hunger

The Global Hunger Index looks at the following four indicators to measure progress towards ending hunger:

1. Undernourishment

The percentage of undernourished people (aka, people with insufficient daily caloric intake), both at the local and national level. Our data comes from relevant United Nations agencies, who work to continually update the numbers.

2. Child wasting

The percentage of children (under the age of 5) who suffer from wasting — that is, low weight for height. This is a sign of acute malnutrition.

3. Child stunting

The percentage of children (under the age of 5) who suffer from stunting — that is, low height for their age. This is a sign of chronic malnutrition.

4. Child mortality

The mortality rate for children under 5. This helps to give us a sense of how severe a country or region is, based on inadequate nutrition and unhealthy environments.

Why do we use 4 factors?

Combined, this set of indicators gives us a more three-dimensional sense of hunger. They reflect calorie deficiencies, as well as poor nutrition. They reflect adult as well as child populations — children being especially important here as they are more vulnerable to the effects of a lack of dietary energy, protein, and micronutrients. The effects of these deficiencies in childhood can lead to a lifetime of consequences, which is why we focus at Concern on the nutrition and health of mothers and their young children. This combination of factors also gives us more confidence in our data, taking into account the different ways in which random measurement errors can occur and ensuring that we’re presenting the most accurate information.

Hunger in context

Global hunger doesn’t exist in a vacuum, and many of its root causes show how hunger is often the result of several factors. Each year, we look at one of the most pressing issues in focus, offering insights into how it impacts hunger, and recommendations at a policy level for how it can be addressed. Recent topics have included:

• 2024: Women, climate change, and hunger
• 2023: The power of youth shaping food systems
• 2022: Community-based solutions to hunger
• 2021: Conflict and hunger
• 2020: COVID-19 and hunger
• 2019: Climate change and hunger
• 2018: Forced migration and hunger
• 2017: How structures of power and inequality increase hunger
• 2015: The relationship between conflict and hunger
• 2014: The challenges of “hidden hunger”

Setting the standard

The Global Hunger Index has received several national and international awards. In 2013, it received Gold in the BCP, Europe’s largest award for corporate media. It was recognized as setting the standard for reports in the nonprofit sector thanks to its credible, authentic information presented in a way that can be understood by all audiences.

Other awards for the Global Hunger Index include:

• BCP Best of Corporate Publishing: Gold Award (2013), Silver Award (2012)
• The International Competition Honoring Excellence in Annual Reports: ARC Award (Gold) in the Humanitarian Category (2013)
• Mercury Excellence Awards: Gold Winner, Annual Reports Overall Presentation (2011/2012)
• Mercury Excellence Awards: Grand Winner, Best Annual Reports (2010/2011)
• Mercury Excellence Awards: Silver Winner, Annual Reports Overall Presentation (2009/2010)
• League of American Communication Professionals Vision Awards: Top 100 Annual Reports Worldwide (2010/11)
• League of American Communication Professionals Vision Awards: Platinum Award, Annual Reports Competition (2010)

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