Pregnant and breastfeeding women and adolescent girls suffering from acute malnutrition increased from 5.5 million to 6.9 million. This situation prevails in the 12 hardest-hit countries. UNICEF report ‘Undernourished and Overlooked’ says, more than 1 billion adolescent girls and women worldwide are undernourished.
The report analyses data on underweight and anemia for more than 190 countries and territories, representing
more than 90 percent of adolescent girls and women globally. This includes underweight and short height
She skips meals for her family
A mother prepares a meal and places it in front of her children. She saves the freshest, tastiest foods and the largest portions for them. When money is tight and food is in short supply, she eats less or skips meals to ensure her family has enough. This is what mealtime looks like for millions of women around the world, and for many, the situation is getting worse.
Women’s right to nutrition is overlooked and undervalued for far too long. It is high time to put the nutrition of women and girls at the center of the global development agenda. reportsrecords.com
60 % of women are anemic in South Asia
The prevalence of anemia remains high, and more than two-thirds of girls and women (69%t) suffer from micronutrient deficiencies. No region is on track to meet the 2030 global targets to reduce anemia in adolescent girls and women by half and low birthweight in newborns by 30 percent.
Acutely malnourished pregnant and breastfeeding women increased by 25 percent between 2020 and 2022 in 12 countries hard hit by the current food and nutrition crisis.
South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa are home to 68% of adolescent girls and women with underweight and 60 % of adolescent girls and women with anemia.
In 2021, there were 126 million more food-insecure women than men, compared to 49 million more in 2019.
51 million children suffer from stunting
Globally, 51 million children under 2 years suffer stunting. They are too short for their age due to malnutrition. About half become stunted during pregnancy and the first six months of life
The gender gap in food insecurity more than doubled between 2019 and 2021. Girls and women across the world are disproportionately hit by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on livelihoods, income, and access to nutritious food.
South Asia Country & India data
Stunting in children aged 6 –23 months in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Pakistan is more than 95 percent.
Globally, there were 388 million adolescent girls and women living in extreme poverty in 2022, the vast majority in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.
