UNICEF report: One billion girls and women malnourished

According to the United Nations, more than a billion women suffer from malnutrition. In the twelve most affected countries alone, 6.9 million pregnant and breastfeeding mothers are malnourished. The UN warns of consequences for generations.

The UN children’s fund UNICEF has analyzed the food situation in the twelve countries most affected by the current global food and nutrition crisis: Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Chad, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Sudan and Yemen.

According to the report published on International Women’s Day on March 8, 6.9 million pregnant and breastfeeding mothers there are malnourished. In 2020 there were still 5.5 million. An increase of 25 percent.

Overall, more than a billion adolescent girls and women worldwide suffer from malnutrition, underweight, growth retardation, a lack of micronutrients and anemia.

Serious consequences for children of affected women

According to the study, if girls and women are inadequately nourished, this also has far-reaching consequences for their children. The risk of life-threatening complications during pregnancy and childbirth is increasing – with dangerous consequences for the survival, growth and learning opportunities of the children. Their immune system is weakened and their cognitive development is impaired.

To prevent child malnutrition, something must also be done about malnutrition in adolescent girls and women, said UNICEF chief Russell. Without immediate action by the international community, the consequences could linger for generations to come. When a girl or woman is not adequately nourished, gender inequality is perpetuated, Russell said.

Gender gap widens

According to the report, global crises disproportionately affect women’s access to food. In 2021, 126 million more women than men were affected by food insecurity, compared to just 49 million two years earlier.

This means that the gender gap in food security has more than doubled – and threatens to widen further: due to the Ukraine war, droughts or internal conflicts, but also because of ongoing gender inequality.