Develop the Nation

Last date for apply 15th April 2026

Arshi Anand

# *Detailed SUMMARY of the Article "Born into Hunger," Editorial, Dawn, January 5th, 2025*:

The editorial sheds light on the alarming statistic shared by Save the Children: over 18.2 million children were born into hunger in 2024, including 1.4 million in Pakistan. Pakistan ranks second after the Democratic Republic of Congo among countries with over 20% of the population undernourished. The article attributes this crisis to a combination of environmental disasters, economic instability, and systemic poverty, emphasizing the lasting impact of the 2022 floods as a precursor to ongoing climate-related challenges. Hunger is particularly severe in rural areas, where mothers face heartbreaking decisions about food allocation for their children. Rising food prices and limited healthcare exacerbate this struggle. While initiatives like the Benazir Income Support Programme and Ehsaas Nashonuma have provided some relief, the editorial calls for their significant expansion and better implementation. It urges the government to revitalize the National Food Security Policy, integrate climate adaptation strategies, strengthen early warning systems, and promote agricultural microfinance and climate-smart farming techniques. The editorial stresses the need for increased health sector spending, improved coordination between federal and provincial initiatives, and enhanced disaster management funds to combat climate-induced food crises. The rising number of babies born into hunger is described as both a humanitarian crisis and a national emergency that demands immediate action to secure Pakistan's future.

# *Easy/Short SUMMARY*:

The article discusses the alarming hunger crisis in Pakistan, with 1.4 million children born into hunger in 2024. It highlights how climate disasters, poverty, and rising food prices have worsened the situation, especially in rural areas. Existing support programs like the Benazir Income Support Programme and Ehsaas Nashonuma need expansion. The article calls for better food security policies, climate-smart farming, and increased health spending to combat this crisis and ensure a better future for Pakistan’s children.

# *SOLUTIONS to The Problem*:
# # Expansion of Existing Programs
Substantially expand and improve targeting for programs like the Benazir Income Support Programme and Ehsaas Nashonuma.

# # Revitalize Food Security Policies
Revamp the National Food Security Policy, incorporating climate adaptation strategies and modern agricultural practices.

# # Strengthen Early Warning Systems
Enhance early warning systems for food insecurity to enable timely interventions.

# # Promote Climate-Smart Agriculture
Support agricultural microfinance and climate-resilient farming techniques through initiatives like the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund.

# # Increase Healthcare and Nutrition Spending
Allocate more resources to the health sector, focusing on nutrition-specific programs and services.

# # Empower Lady Health Workers
Expand the role and coverage of lady health workers to improve access to nutrition-specific interventions.

# # Improve Coordination
Foster better coordination between federal and provincial governments for food security initiatives.

# # Enhance Disaster Risk Management
Strengthen the National Disaster Risk Management Fund to effectively address climate-induced food crises.

# # Mobilize Domestic Resources
Increase domestic resource mobilization to reduce reliance on international aid.

# # Community Awareness Campaigns
Educate communities about nutrition and sustainable food practices to improve grassroots-level resilience.

# *IMPORTANT Facts and Figures Given in the Article*:
- Over 18.2 million children, including 1.4 million in Pakistan, were born into hunger in 2024.
- Pakistan ranks second globally among nations with over 20% of the population undernourished.
- The 2022 floods highlighted the country's vulnerability to climate-driven food insecurity.
- Rising food prices and limited access to healthcare worsen the nutrition crisis in rural areas.
- Current programs like Ehsaas Nashonuma need significant scaling up to address stunting.

# *MCQs from the Article*:
# # # 1. *How many children were born into hunger in 2024 according to Save the Children?*
A. 10 million
B. 12.5 million
*C. 18.2 million*
D. 20 million

# # # 2. *Which country ranks first in the percentage of the population undernourished?*
A. Sudan
B. Afghanistan
C. Pakistan
*D. Democratic Republic of Congo*

# # # 3. *What key recommendation does the article make for improving food security?*
A. Decrease healthcare spending
B. Strengthen punitive measures for food wastage
*C. Revitalize the National Food Security Policy*
D. Eliminate microfinance programs

# # # 4. *What is a major consequence of the 2022 floods highlighted in the article?*
A. Increase in urban migration
B. Decrease in international aid
*C. Long-term food insecurity due to climate vulnerability*
D. Better disaster preparedness

# # # 5. *What role do lady health workers play in combating hunger?*
A. Managing disaster relief funds
B. Educating communities about climate change
*C. Providing nutrition-specific interventions*
D. Organizing food distribution programs

# *VOCABULARY*:
1. *Undernourished* (adjective) (غذائی قلت): Not having enough food or nutrition for good health.
2. *Harbinger* (noun) (پیش خیمہ): A person or thing that signals the approach of something.
3. *Vulnerability* (noun) (کمزوری): The state of being exposed to harm or damage.
4. *Stunting* (noun) (رکاوٹ): Impaired growth and development in children due to poor nutrition.
5. *Revitalize* (verb) (نئی زندگی دینا): To imbue something with new life or energy.
6. *Intervention* (noun) (مداخلت): Action taken to improve a situation.
7. *Mobilization* (noun) (تحریک): The act of organizing or preparing something for active service.
8. *Agricultural Practices* (noun) (زرعی طریقے): Methods used for growing crops or raising livestock.
9. *Nutrition-Specific* (adjective) (غذائیت سے متعلق): Targeted programs or actions focusing on improving nutrition.
10. *Deprivation* (noun) (محرومی): Lack or denial of something considered essential.

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www.dawn.com
Born into hunger
Editorial
3 - 4 minutes
Listen to article

OVER 18.2 million children — 35 every minute — were born into hunger in 2024, with Pakistan accounting for 1.4m of these births. This sobering statistic was shared recently by Save the Children, which also found that we stand second only to the Democratic Republic of Congo among countries with over 20pc of the population undernourished. Such distressing findings demonstrate our collective failure as a nation. As one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable nations, Pakistan finds itself caught in a perfect storm of environmental disasters, economic instability, and systemic poverty. The devastating floods of 2022 were not merely a temporary setback but a harbinger of the climate-driven challenges that continue to threaten our food security. The connection between climate vulnerability and hunger is no longer theoretical — it is playing out in real time across our provinces. Throughout Pakistan, particularly in rural areas, mothers face impossible choices daily. Many are forced to reduce portions, skip meals, or choose which child gets enough to eat — heart-wrenching decisions no parent should have to make. Behind each statistic is a family struggling to provide their children with basic nutrition, their suffering compounded by rising food prices and limited access to healthcare services.

While the Benazir Income Support Programme has provided crucial support to vulnerable families, these programmes need substantial expansion and better targeting. The Ehsaas Nashonuma programme, specifically designed to address stunting in children, must be scaled up beyond its current reach. Additionally, the government should revitalise the National Food Security Policy, integrating it with climate adaptation strategies and modern agricultural practices. Pakistan needs to strengthen its early warning systems for food insecurity, enhance the coverage of nutrition-specific interventions through lady health workers, and improve coordination between federal and provincial food security initiatives. The non-profit Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund should prioritise agricultural microfinance and climate-smart farming techniques. And while international support is crucial, domestic resource mobilisation is equally important. The government must increase health sector spending with a specific focus on nutrition programmes. Moreover, the National Disaster Risk Management Fund needs enhancement to better respond to climate-induced food crises. The fact that more babies are being born into hunger today than in previous years represents not just a humanitarian crisis but a national emergency that threatens Pakistan’s future. We must ensure that the next generation of Pakistanis is not condemned to a life of hunger and deprivation.

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