Women are Hungrier

WFP/Sayed Asif Mahmoud

In countries facing conflict and hunger, women often eat last and least – sacrificing for their families. But empowering women and girls can end hunger for good, and transform whole communities in the process.

 

In countries facing conflict and hunger, women often eat last and least – sacrificing for their families. But empowering women and girls can end hunger for good, and transform whole communities in the process.

60%​

Of the 343 million people who are extremely hungry in the world right now, nearly 60% are women and girls

2/3

In nearly two-thirds of countries, women are more likely than men to report food insecurity

1 in 3

The proportion of women with anemia, a diet-related iron deficiency that can cause organ damage if left untreated

Women are Fighting For

WFP Can Help...

Teach Women New Skills

Patience’s husband became violent with her when their family ran out of food. Now, because of the U.N. World Food Programme’s Food for Assets project, Patience is the primary breadwinner and her husband respects her.

Provide Women With Housing

Deborah and her children survived in a swamp for two months after fighters burned down their home. Today they’re safe, and the U.N. World Food Programme provides them with beans, flour and cooking oil.

Hurricanes & Cyclones

Violent storms are disastrous for vulnerable populations. This year, Hurricane Beryl brought life-threatening winds, heavy rain and sever storm surges to the Caribbean. It left thousands of people homeless and destroyed livelihoods.

We're Feeding & Empowering Women

WFP/Matteo Cosorich

Female Farmers

Nearly half of all small-scale farmers are women, yet they often lack basic resources like fertilizer and equipment. Our training and tools help women earn an income and become self-sufficient.

Children eating school meals in Sierra Leone WFP/Michael Duff/2022

School Meals

Struggling families often send boys to school, rather than girls. But WFP school meals help keep girls in the classroom, setting them up for a lifetime of success and good health.

Mother holding her son in Zambia WFP/Vincent Tremeau/2022

First 1,000 Days

If babies don’t get the right nutrition during the first 1,000 days of life, it can cause irreversible damage. WFP uses special foods for infants and moms to make sure they survive this critical time.

WFP/Denise Colletta

E-Cards

Women are often primary shoppers and cooks. WFP delivers e-cards that allow them to purchase groceries, so women in crisis can be reached faster and more efficiently.

Stories of Women & Hunger

Read the latest updates on how cultural norms drive hunger.

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