Stronger Commitments for Greater Action: Tackling the Global Nutrition Crisis
The global nutrition crisis, exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, has reached alarming levels, with worsening trends in every form of malnutrition. The number of people affected by hunger increased by 150 million from 2019 to 2021, reaching 768 million, while those unable to afford a healthy diet rose by 112 million to 3.1 billion in 2020. Food insecurity affected almost a third of the global population in 2021, and unhealthy eating habits are leading to rising obesity and diet-related non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Despite policy interventions, the situation continues to deteriorate, fueled by ongoing conflicts, such as the war in Ukraine, and the impacts of climate change.
In response to this crisis, the year 2021 was declared the Nutrition Year of Action, culminating in the Tokyo Nutrition for Growth (N4G) Summit. At the summit, stakeholders made unprecedented commitments to improve global nutrition, leading to the endorsement of the Global Nutrition Report (GNR) and the creation of the world’s first independent nutrition accountability framework (NAF). This framework allows for capturing and monitoring nutrition commitments globally, ensuring transparency and accountability.
The 2022 Global Nutrition Report highlights the importance of accountability in transforming actions to address the nutrition crisis. It celebrates the numerous commitments made by governments, civil society organizations, private sector businesses, donors, and international organizations, particularly emphasizing the substantial commitments from low- and lower-middle-income countries, totaling over $42.6 billion. These commitments show strong support for leadership, governance, and addressing undernutrition, aligning with key global nutrition targets.
However, the report also identifies gaps, noting that few commitments focus on improving food and nutrition security, poor diets, obesity, and diet-related NCDs. It calls for a broader and stronger effort from all stakeholders to take more decisive actions in light of the ongoing global nutrition crisis.
The 2022 Global Nutrition Report underscores the value of the NAF in improving nutrition action over time, serving as a powerful call to action for all stakeholders. Every actor has a unique role and responsibility in this complex landscape, and only through collective effort, accountability, and reporting can we deliver the necessary change to combat malnutrition and improve global nutrition outcomes.
You can read or download the entire report here