Author: Robin Stephenson

Stalled Progress Against Hunger for Third Consecutive Year

For the third year in a row, global hunger remains persistently high after the increase during and because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The United Nations’ State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2024 (SOFI) report, released in July 2024, estimates that 733 million people across the globe are chronically undernourished—meaning that they do not get enough energy from food for a healthy life.  The situation is bleaker for the 2.33 billion people who were food insecure and did not have regular access to adequate food.

The numbers show more variability at the regional level.  While hunger has remained stagnant in Asia and improved in Latin America and the Caribbean, it is on the rise in Africa.

Major hunger drivers —such as conflict, climate extremes, and economic downturns —have intensified in recent years. According to SOFI, these events, coupled with poverty and the stubbornly high cost of food are contributing to the stalled progress.

The report also highlights positive trends, including a reduction in the number of children under five who are stunted (short for their age) and wasting (thin for their height).

Key takeaways from the report:

  • One out of 11 people (733 million) experienced hunger in 2023. The number is estimated to grow to 582 million by the end of the decade
  • Child nutrition saw progress in 2023, with increases in exclusive breastfeeding among infants under six months of age and reductions in stunting and wasting of children under the age of five. However, numbers for low birthweight and child overweight remained unchanged.
  • Globally, anemia in women of ages 15-49 increased in 2023.
  • One-third of the world—2.8 billion people—could not afford a healthy diet in 2022, with 71.5 percent living in low-income countries.

While today’s numbers may seem daunting, they are not insurmountable. The world has made dramatic progress against poverty in the past. In 1970, the UN estimated that 1 billion people were chronically undernourished. This demonstrates that improvement is possible. Knowledge is the first step in fighting hunger.

 

 

The United Nations tracks global undernutrition and distributes its findings in an annual report. World Hunger Education Service uses those numbers to update our fact sheets, which can be found at worldhunger.org/learn-about-hunger.

Photo credit: Salahaldeen Nadir / World Bank

Celebrating the Legacy of Art Simon (1930-2023)

Inspiring a Generation of Hunger Advocates

The anti-hunger movement lost a pivotal figure this year.

The World Hunger Education Service (WHES) joins Bread for the World and numerous others in mourning the passing of Rev. Arthur (Art) Simon, who died on November 15, 2023 at the age of 93. His impact was profound and far-reaching.

Leading a Movement

Simon founded Bread for the World, an advocacy organization, in 1974 and served as its first president. His leadership guided a generation who continue to make significant strides in combating hunger both in the U.S. and globally. 

“Art was a formidable force in the anti-hunger community,” said Peter Morris, Chair of the WHES Board of Directors. “His involvement in the hunger movement was part of an important inflection point.”

The 1970s were a hotbed of activity—an era of heightened awareness and activism, spearheaded by leaders like Simon, who inspired others to take action. Among them was Pat Kutzner, who, motivated by Simon’s work and the momentum within Bread for the World, founded the World Hunger Education Service in 1976.

Simon’s faith and conviction were a beacon of hope in a hungry world.

As the brother of the late Senator Paul Simon (D-Ill.) and a committed Lutheran pastor, he understood that addressing hunger was not only a political challenge, requiring systemic change through policy, but also a matter of faith, answering a divine call to feed the hungry. He championed the idea that a united outcry by citizens, especially when channeled through their churches, could significantly influence elected officials to end hunger.

Legislative Impact

And he was right. By 1976, Bread for the World’s collective Christian voice had persuaded Congress to pass the Right to Food Resolution—the most fundamental statement of anti-hunger principles made by Congress up to that point. 

But that was just the beginning.

Under Simon’s leadership, the organization played a key role in impacting more policies. In 1977, they influenced the creation of two grain reserves for emergency food aid, saving millions of lives over the years. By 1978, their efforts contributed to an overhaul of U.S. aid. And in 1981, the group was instrumental in passing a global food security bill. 

A Legacy of Inspiration

Since then, Bread for the World members have continued to influence legislation, bringing far-reaching benefits to those experiencing hunger.

It’s difficult to quantify the extensive influence his legacy continues to have,” Morris said. “From shaping legislation that saves lives to nurturing a generation of leaders dedicated to ending hunger, his life had a tremendous impact.”

Simon’s message that hunger is preventable was spread not only through his activism but also through his writings. He authored several books, including “The Rising of Bread for the World: An Outcry of Citizens Against Hunger” and his most recent book, “Silence Can Kill: Speaking Up to End Hunger and Make Our Economy Work for Everyone”. His written contributions have significantly enriched the broader conversation on social justice and humanitarian work.

Kathy Pomroy, Treasurer of the WHES Board, who ran Bread for the World’s organizing department for 23 years, benefited from Simon’s leadership. 

“Art played an active role in the lives of Bread’s staff, a role he continued even after his retirement.” she said. “Always a pastor, he cared for us as individuals and supported us and our faith journeys. His life was a testament to the belief that we can end hunger and to why we need to put our faith into action.”

Simon’s legacy will bear fruit for years to come. Many, including us at the World Hunger Education Service, are grateful for the inspiration of his life’s work. He transformed countless lives for the better.

To learn more about Rev. Simon’s life and legacy, visit the Bread for the World website.


“My father used to tell us when we were kids, ‘Better to build a fence at the top of a cliff than an ambulance at the bottom’… Bread for the World emerged as a way of building that fence.”

—Art Simon, excerpt from address to Westminster College as part of the 2009 Symposium on Democracy