Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Hunger-Contribution for AP HDR theme

I would like to propose hunger as the theme for the next AP HDR. Despite of persistent efforts to reduce hunger, the battle is far from being over. The hunger Millennium Development Goal of halving hunger by 2015 will be daunting challenge if concerted efforts are not made now.

Based on the 2007 estimate of International Food Policy Research Institute, 854 million people, at global level, are affected by the scourge of hunger (Welt Hunger Hilfe, International Food Policy Research Institute, Concern 2007). The taskforce on UN millennium project 2005 found that most of the hungry people live in Asia including 221 million in India, 142 million in China and another 156 million are scattered in rest of the Asia Pacific countries (United Nation Millennium Project 2005). It also accounts for 65% of the world’s underweight children (UNESCAP, ADB and UNDP 2007). It is self explanatory that Asia Pacific has to be the primary focus of interventions/strategies to reduce hunger in the world as most of the affected people inhabit this region.

Hunger can be acute, chronic or hidden. Nearly 90% of the hungry are chronically undernourished (United Nations Millennium Project 2005). The chronic undernourishment, caused by constant lack of sufficient food intake, can result in underweight, stunted children and high child mortality. For instance, taken against one of the three indicators of Global Hunger index (GHI-developed by International Food Policy Research Institute), of under five mortality rate, the region contributes to two in five of the world’s under five deaths. Most of the countries in South Asia, for instance, are off track in reducing child mortality by two-thirds by 2015 (MDG Goal 4). For instance in India alone 1.9 million children are dying annually before reaching the age of five (UNESCAP, ADB and UNDP 2007).

The main factors which contribute to hunger are poverty, poor health care facilities, lack of access to sanitation and safe drinking water, lack of access to food, low status of women and natural calamities. For the Asia Pacific region, it would be vital to address two major problems of poverty and gender discrimination to win the battle against hunger. The region hosts 641 million poor people (MDGs Progress Report, 2007) which constitute more than half of world’s poor (UNESCAP, ADB and UNDP 2007). Poverty perpetuates hunger and undernourishment, leading to a vicious cycle of deprivation and human sufferings. The women status in society, throughout the region, needs to improve through better access to education, health care facilities and elimination of all forms of discriminatory practices. The high child and maternal mortality rates in the region speaks volume of the marginalization of women. It is obvious that a malnourished mother will give birth to stunted and underweight children, which will lead to vicious cycle of undernourished generations. This has huge political, economic and social implications for the region. Many countries across the Asia Pacific region are witnessing political unrest, civil turmoil and an economic uncertainty, including rising inequalities, which has exacerbated the problem of hunger. From rising militancy and uncertainty about general election in Pakistan, challenges facing post conflict Nepal and internal strives facing military led Bangladesh, ravages of ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka, high maternal and child mortality rates in most countries, the poor people across the region struggle with their daily existence.

It is time high to move from usual rhetoric to taking stringent steps to reduce hunger in the world and Asia pacific region in particular. MDGs progress would also be severally affected if hunger is not tackled now. With millions of more poor caught in the tentacles of hunger and starvation, societies across globe will disintegrate being afflicted with disorder, criminality and lawlessness. As it is said that “a hungry people listens not to reason, nor cares for justice, nor is bent by any prayers” (*).

AP HDR on hunger will provide a platform to highlight the fate of millions in the region, influence policy makers, intellectuals and regional leaders to prioritize tackling hunger. It will also be instrumental highlighting key policy interventions, strategies and policies imperative for combating the problem. It is time for the regional leaders, policy makers, legislators, intelligentsia, international & regional organization and civil society to rise to the occasion to address and combat hunger.

The fight against hunger must be won. AP HDR on hunger will go a long way in spotlighting this critical issue of human development.

Hasna Cheema

Notes
(*) A quote by Seneca, Roman philosopher.

References
United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and Pacific (UNESCAP), Asian Development Bank (ADB), and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). 2007. “The Millennium Development Goals - Progress in Asia and Pacific”. Bangkok.
United Nation Millennium Project. 2005. “Halving Hunger: It can be done”. United Nation Development Programme, New York.
Welt Hunger Hilfe, International Food Policy Research Institute, and Concern. 2007. “The Challenge of Hunger”. Bonn.


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