Pakistan’s ranking improves in Global Hunger Index 2021

LAHORE: Pakistan’s ranking has improved in Global Hunger Index 2021 although level of malnutrition still being labelled as serious.

Pakistan ranks 92nd out of the 116 countries with a score of 24.7, which indicates serious level of hunger, according to the 2021 Global Hunger Index released on Friday.

The Global Hunger Index (GHI) is a tool designed to comprehensively measure and track hunger at the global, regional, and national levels.

Except India, the ranking of Pakistan is lower than all other countries of South Asia and other neighbouring countries.

India ranks 101st out of the 116 countries with a score of 27.5, while level of hunger is labelled as serious, while Bangladesh stood at 76th position with a score of 19.1, showing level of moderate hunger.

In the 2021 Global Hunger Index, Nepal ranks 76th with a score of 19.1, it has moderate level of hunger while Sri Lanka rated at 65th position with a score of 16.0, showing a moderate level of hunger.

Neighboring Afghanistan ranks 103rd with a score of 28.3, showing serious level of hunger. In the 2021 Global Hunger Index, Iran’s position recorded at 35th number with a score of 7.7, showing low level of hunger.

Similarly, China is one of 18 countries with a GHI score of less than 5. These countries are not assigned individual ranks, but rather are collectively ranked 1–18 out of the 116 countries to calculate 2021 GHI scores. Differences between their scores are minimal. With a score of under 5, China has a level of hunger that is low.

Region-wise, South Asian and African countries are the areas where hunger levels are highest. Hunger in both regions is considered serious. Africa South of the Sahara and South Asia having the highest hunger levels with GHI scores of 27.1 and 26.1, respectively.

South Asia’s high regional hunger level is driven largely by child undernutrition, particularly as measured by child wasting. At 14.7 percent, South Asia’s child wasting rate as of 2020 is the highest of any world region.

South Asia’s child stunting rate, at 31.8 percent, is nearly as high as that of Africa South of the Sahara.

More than half of the children in the world who experience wasting and more than one-third of the children who experience stunting are located in South Asia.

The Global Hunger Index is a peer-reviewed annual report, jointly published by Concern Worldwide and Welthungerhilfe, designed to comprehensively measure and track hunger at the global, regional, and country levels.