THE G7 FAILS TO PROPOSE CONCRETE MEASURES TO FIGHT HUNGER

Hunger and malnutrition are on the rise in many regions of the world and major food crises are multiplying. In 2022, between 691 and 783 million people suffered from hunger and last year acute malnutrition remained the cause of almost half of all deaths among children under 5 years of age worldwide. Despite entering the last decade of the 2030 Agenda, we are far from reaching the Sustainable Development Goal 2 (SDG2) to end hunger. Action contre la Faim calls on G7 members reunited in the Italian Summit to take concrete measures to tackle roots causes of hunger now !

The root causes of global food and nutrition insecurity include the impact of armed conflicts which often harm innocent civilians and their livelihoods, the compounding effects of the climate crisis, rising poverty and gender injustices, dysfunctional food systems, and a lack of adequate social protection measures as well as access to basic services. However, conflict remains the key driver of global hunger and the use of hunger as weapon of war is reported in many conflicts despite UN Security Council resolution 2417.

“The world is failing to tackle hunger because most influential leaders of the world are unable to tackle its roots causes despite existing tools and rights that just need to be respected or implemented. For example today in Gaza humanitarian organizations have warned of the possibility that hunger being used as a weapon of war against civilian populations, in violation of existing UN resolutions” explained Chibuzo Okonta Chief Executive officer from Action contre la Faim.

Given the multidimensional and complex causes of hunger and malnutrition, the right to adequate food can only be realized through the combination of the respect of international humanitarian law in conflict affected areas, safe access to population in need, humanitarian diplomacy and short-term humanitarian action in emergencies – including in ‘forgotten crises’ that do not receive as much media attention such as DRC, Chad, the Sahel region and Sudan. G7 commitments and initiatives to address food insecurity are focused on private investments, but it’s important that G7 members increase their commitment to fund humanitarian and food crises, especially in fragile and conflict contexts.

The climate crisis represents also a considerable threat to the Zero Hunger aim. An additional 80 million people are expected to be at risk of hunger due to the climate crisis by 2050, as erratic weather and a lack of preparedness reduce harvests and food availability and accessibility. The impacts are disproportionately felt by more vulnerable countries who contributed least to the climate crisis. To revert this worrying trend, we need concrete steps to increase access to climate finance by the most affected countries and communities, as well as a long-term transformation towards agroecological food systems to become more sustainable, resilient and fair facing climate crisis.

“In addition to upholding their own climate targets and decarbonising domestic economies, G7 countries have a historical responsibility to implement climate justice by supporting this transition as well as the adaptation efforts in vulnerable communities that are affected by a crisis they did not cause” commented Chibuzo Okonta.

Furthermore, not all social protection systems over the world have a shock responsive component to face shock as extreme climate events or economic crisis. Today, only 47 per cent of the global population are effectively covered by at least one social protection benefit even though if the right to social protection is recognized in numerous legal instrument.

This lack of protection leaves people vulnerable, especially women and children. Economics and gender inequalities are shaping food dynamics at the household and community level, rendering women, girls and other marginalized people significantly disadvantaged in their access to and control over food – from production to consumption – hampering their basic human rights. Promote universal social protection floors is essential for preventing and reducing poverty and tackle gender inequalities. It constitutes a key mechanism to eradicate hunger.

“Whether on issues of social protection to tackle poverty, on the fight against climate change and the establishment of more sustainable agroecological systems, or in the resolution of conflicts that starve thousands of people every day, we expect more concrete measures from the G7 members. Today, declarations of intent are no longer enough” concluded Chibuzo Okonta.