Climate-related disasters such as floods and droughts are having a devastating impact on children’s access to food in Pakistan, with over 1.4 million babies born into hunger in 2024, according to a recent analysis by Save the Children. The report highlights Pakistan as one of the most climate-vulnerable nations, ranking second globally in the number of babies born into hunger among countries where over 20% of the population is undernourished.

Global Hunger Crisis Worsens
Save the Children revealed that 18.2 million babies worldwide were born into hunger in 2024, equivalent to 35 every minute. This marks a troubling increase from 14.5 million in 2018, with hunger-related births rising by 5% compared to 2023. The report attributes this reversal of progress to factors such as conflict, displacement, extreme weather events, and rising food costs.

Hunger Hotspots Around the World
The crisis is particularly severe in famine-stricken regions like South Sudan, Haiti, Mali, and Sudan, where acute malnutrition is widespread. In the Gaza Strip, famine conditions are imminent, with 345,000 people at risk of catastrophic hunger.

Urgent Action Needed
Save the Children has called for immediate funding and humanitarian access to provide essential services, including nutrition, healthcare, and clean water, to affected populations. The organization also emphasized the need to address the root causes of the crisis—conflict, inequality, and climate change—to prevent further setbacks in global efforts to combat child malnutrition.