Open Letter to UN Member States on the Global Food Crisis
MDA in Summangara Community in Gwaran i LGA of Jigawa state during an MDA. Copyright: CBM
Dear UN Member States,
We, the undersigned 238 non-governmental organizations working with the most vulnerable communities and witnessing the catastrophic effects of the unprecedented global food crisis unfolding, urgently request that you act immediately to prevent more unnecessary suffering. From Somalia to Haiti, South Sudan to Yemen, Afghanistan to Nigeria, people’s lives in the most fragile contexts are being devastated by a global food crisis, fueled by a deadly mix of conflict, climate change, rising costs and economic crises, exacerbated by COVID-19 and the Ukraine conflict. Fifty million people are now just one step away from starvation. Over 345 million more are bowing under the crushing weight of hunger, struggling to feed their families and at risk of death.
Behind these statistics are real people and lack of action has horrific, real life and death consequences. For the woman who fled her country to escape the violence of war and now has her food ration halved or suspended completely. For the hungry child forced to drop out of school to work so their family can eat. For the young girl forced into marriage, where she faces sexual exploitation and abuse. And for the caregiver who makes the long journey to seek treatment for a severely malnourished toddler only to find the health clinic is closed due to funding shortages.
The international community and national governments are failing to meet their duty and have prioritised political and economic interests over the wellbeing of the world’s most vulnerable children, families and communities. While political leaders have made many promises, in the cities, towns, villages, and refugee and internal displacement camps where millions of lives hang in the balance, far too little has changed.
In a world of plenty, leaving people to starve is a policy choice. We call on you as world leaders to take urgent action to stem this crisis and prevent future ones. You must immediately deliver the funding needed to reach 50 million people on the edge of starvation to save lives NOW. You must also support vulnerable countries and communities to build resilience NOW. And you must take action to anticipate, prevent and prepare for subsequent crises to secure the future, including by delivering much-needed climate finance, reallocated Special Drawing Rights, and meaningful debt relief.
We repeatedly miss the opportunity to prevent hunger and hardship from happening in the first place by not responding quickly enough to early warnings to save lives, build resilience, and make the smart investments needed to sustainably address hunger crises in the long term. If the pandemic taught us anything it is that prevention is more humane and much less expensive than waiting to respond. The lack of political will and institutional failure to act quickly before the worst-case hits means people are being left to lurch from crisis to crisis. People are not starving; they are being starved.
Accompanying this letter, we outline a set of specific recommendations to help address the current hunger crisis and prevent future crises, endorsed by NGOs across the world.
We have already lost far too much time – the families we work with every day need action NOW. The lives of millions of girls, boys, women, and men depend on the bold and courageous actions you, the United Nations Member States, take - or fail to take – when you gather at the UN General Assembly in the coming weeks. We must not let people starve to death on our watch. There is no place for famine in the 21st century.
Policy Recommendations
We call on UN Member States to show political leadership on the global food crisis by translating promises into immediate action. Famine prevention and mitigation, now and in the future, must be a top priority at this year’s UN General Assembly. This means providing enough, fast, flexible, multi-year funding to save lives now and a promise to work collectively to deliver on commitments to reach Zero Hunger and end hunger crises once and for all.
Save Lives Now
Immediately deliver the funding needed to save the lives of the 882,000 people experiencing catastrophic hunger now and to prevent 50 million more people slipping into catastrophic levels of hunger. Funding must be multi-year, flexible, and unearmarked, and additional so as to not divert funding from other urgent humanitarian responses.
Prioritise support to local actors, including crisis-affected people-led organisations, who are often best placed to quickly anticipate and respond to emergencies.
Ensure humanitarian access through increased humanitarian diplomacy and prevent the use of hunger as a weapon of war
Ensure support for gender- and age- sensitive multi-sector programming that addresses the compounding impacts of hunger on vulnerable people, such as increased protection, health, and sexual and gender-based violence risks.
Prioritise efforts to prevent and treat wasting in children, with a focus on the first 1,000 days.
Build Resilience
Double down on efforts to strengthen food systems that deliver affordable, healthy nutritious food for everyone and improve the natural environment, including in the most fragile and conflict-affected places. This requires:
Supporting female and male smallholder farmers to increase local production of culturally appropriate, safe, nutritious food sustainably.
Strengthening the functioning of local, national, and regional agricultural market and trade systems to improve food security, smallholder livelihoods, and small and medium enterprises.
Ensuring policy responses to the global food crisis contribute to stabilising key food and commodity markets, and minimize negative impacts on global, regional, and national agriculture trade, food security, and commodity prices for the most vulnerable.
Adhering to international guidelines and principles developed by the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) and other international commitments.
Step up political efforts to prevent and resolve conflicts and accelerate climate mitigation and adaptation efforts, including support to locally led initiatives on peacebuilding and climate action.
Strengthen early warning systems, ensuring they include the most marginalized communities. Early warning systems must consistently trigger anticipatory action and early action, supported by ensuring dedicated pre-financing is available to these triggers.
Support efforts to work across the nexus by ensuring development actions increase investments in addressing root causes and underlying drivers of hunger crises, particularly in fragile and conflict-affected contexts.
Secure The Future
Double climate adaptation finance delivered in the form of grants, including support for smallholders, and meet the commitment of providing $600 billion in climate finance 2020-2025, and support the establishment of a Loss and Damage Finance Facility.
Reallocate at least $100 billion in Special Drawing Rights to the International Monetary Fund and through Multilateral Development Banks, including the International Fund for Agricultural Development. Direct the World Bank to go beyond the additional commitment of $12 billion over 15 months to respond to the global hunger crisis; and lead on debt relief.
Fully fund evidence-based nutrition interventions, aligned to the Nutrition Investment Framework.
Signed,
"Constitution" Researches Foundation
Action Against Hunger
Action in Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL)
Action Jeunesse pour le Développement
ActionAid International
ActionAid Senegal
Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA)
Afghanistan Youths Social and Educational Organization (AYSEO)
Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ)
African Forum for International Relations in Research & Development (AFIRRD)
Afrihealth Optonet Association (CSOs Network)
Aga Khan Foundation
Age International
Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development (ACTED)
Akad Cultural Institute
Al Itqan Orphanage Foundation
Alboan Foundation
Alliance Nationale de Lutte contre la Faim et la Malnutrition (ACFM Niger)
Alliance2015
Ananda Marga Universal Relief Team (AMURT)
Andre Foods International (AFI)
Aquaculture Zimbabwe
Arava Institute for Environmental Studies
Asamblea de Cooperación por la Paz (ACPP)
Assistance Mission for Africa
Association for Forests, Development and Conservation (AFDC)
Association for Promoting Sustainability in Campuses and Communities (APSCC)
Association For Promotion of Sustainable Development
Association Malienne pour la Survie au Sahel (AMSS)
Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global Citizens
Bangladesh Nari Progati Sangha (BNPS)
Banlieues du Monde Mauritanie
Basic Education and Employable Skill Training Pakistan (BEST-Pak)
Benevolence Coalition for Humanitarian Relief (BCHR )
Bread for the World
Canadian Feed the Children
Carbone Guinée
CARE International
Caritas Africa
Caritas Burkina Faso (OCADES)
Caritas Internationalis
Caritas Zimbabwe
Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD)
Catholic Relief Services
Center for Environmental Governance (CEGO)
Centre d'Actions Sociales pour le Développement Intégré (CASDI, asbl)
Centre for Human Rights and Climate Change Research
Centre Oecuménique pour la Promotion du Monde Rural
Centre Stratégique Pour La Promotion Du
Développement Durable (CSPDD)
Centro de Incidencia Ambiental (Environmental Advocacy Center)
Centro de Investigaciones para la Equidad Política Pública y Desarrollo (CIPE)
Chefs' Manifesto
ChildFund Alliance
Children International Rep. Dominicana
Christian Aid
Christian Blind Mission Ireland
Civil Society Advocacy Network on Climate Change and the Environment Sierra Leone (CAN-SL)
Climate Change Africa Opportunities (CCAO)
Co-operative Development Foundation of Canada (CDF)
Coalition Tunisienne pour la Transparence des l'Énergies et le Mines
COAST Foundation
Comitato Internazionale per los Sviluppo dei Popoli (CISP)
Community Action Against Plastic Waste (CAPws)
Community Initiatives for Development in Pakistan
Concern Worldwide
Congressional Hunger Center
Conseil Communal de la Jeunesse de Matete
Converge Global Youth Movement World Evang. Alliance
Cooperation Canada
Danish Refugee Council
Deutsche Welthungerhilfe
Development Initiative for Community Impact
Développement International Desjardins
Dignity Now
Dochas
Don Bosco Aid
Dr Uzo Adirieje Foundation (DUZAFOUND)
DRC INGO Forum
Earth Regenerative Project Sierra Leone
Ecological Restorations
Educo
Emonyo Yefwe International
Entreculturas
Environmental Green Cross Organization
Eritrea Focus
EuroMed Rights
Farm Africa
Fédération Mondiale des Organisations d'ingénieurs
Federation of Somali Trade Unions
Feeding San Diego
Food for the Hungry
ForAfrika (formerly JAM Int)
Foundation for Rural Development (FRD)
Galaxy Helping Hands
Global Communities
GOAL USA
Good Neighbors Bangladesh
Grassroots Relief and Development Agency (GREDA)
Green Hill
Greenway International Foundation
Hamraah Foundation
Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS)
Helen Keller International
HelpAge Deutschland
HelpAge International
Hope Worldwide Pakistan
Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre)
Human Environmental and Leadership Prevalent Center (HELP Center)
Human Environmental Association for Development (HEAD)
Human Rights First Rwanda Association
Humanitarian and Development Consortium (HDC)
Humanity & Inclusion
Humedica e.V Germany
Ikot Ekpene Women Food & Cash crops MPCS
IMPACT Initiatives
info.nodes
Initiative for Educational Awareness and Economic Development
Initiatives for Safe Migration and Social Justice
Instituto Árvores Vivas para Conservação e Cultura Ambiental
InterAction
International Centre for Environmental Education and Community Development (ICENECDEV)
International Centre for Ethnic Studies Sri Lanka
International Helping for Young
International Medical Corps
International NGO Forum on Indonesian Development (INFID)
International Rescue Committee
International Youth Council Yemen (IYCY)
INTERSOS
Interwaste R & D (EA) Trust
Islamic Relief USA
Islamic Relief Worldwide
Jadir Taekwondo Association (AJTKD)
Kasupe Ministries Malawi
Kenya Red Cross Society
Kikandwa Environmental Association
Kurdistan Organization for Human Rights Watch
Lifecare Foundation
Light for the World
Maarif Orgnization for Humanitarian Aid and Development
Malnutrition Matters
Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers
Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns
Medair
Media Centre Against Malnutrition (MeCAM)
Medicus Mundi
Mercy Corps
Mercy-USA for Aid and Development
Micronutrient Forum
MIDMAR Organization
Misean Cara
Mouvement d'organisation des ruraux pour le développement (M.O.R.D)
Movimiento por la Paz (MPDL)
Muslim Aid
Muslim Hands
Naga City People's Council
National Campaign for Sustainable Development Nepal
National Council of Non Governmental Organisations Kenya
National Foundation for Development and Humanitarian Response (NFDHR)
New Apostolic Centre for Development (NCD)
Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) Somalia
Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC)
Nutrisan
OFIYA Coalition for Democracy and Electoral Integrity
OIREN (ONG Internationales représentées au Niger)
ONG Akarass
ONG Itodju
ONG MPLCI (Mouvement Pour la Lutte Contre l'Injustice)
ONG Vie Agréable
Organization of Rural Associations for Progress Zimbabwe (ORAP)
Outreach Social Care Project
Oxfam
Palestine Green Building Council
Peace Ambassadors Centre for Humanitarian Aid and Empowerment
People to People Volunteers
Perkumpulan Gemawan
Plan International
Plan International Australia
Plan International Canada
Plan International Germany
Plan International Italy
Plan International Spain
Praja Abhilasha Network
Première Urgence Internationale
Presbyterian Church (USA)
Radio Soleil Kar-Uba
Reacción Climática
Reachout Salone
RealFoodSystems.org
Red uniendo manos Perú (Joining Hands Perú)
Réseau Professionnel des Jeunes ADEN
Resource Integration Centre (RIC)
Rising Out of the Ashes (ROOTA)
Rural Area Development Programme (RADP)
Save the Children
SDG2 Advocacy Hub
SHARECITY
Shifa Foundation
Sierra Agri Foods
Smile Again Africa Development Organization
Society for Conservation and Sustainability of Energy and Environment in Nigeria (SOCSEEN)
Somali Youth Development Foundation (SYDF)
Standing Together for Nutrition Consortium
Stichting Mission Lanka
Support Activities for Poor Producers Nepal (SAPPROS)
Sustainable Development Policy Institute
Synergie des Ongs Nationales pour les Actions Humanitaires (SONAH)
Tamdeen Youth Foundation
Tearfund
The Association for the Right to the Difference Promotion
The Global FoodBanking Network
The Hunger Project
The Lebanese Organization for Studies and Training (LOST)
The Light
The ONE Campaign
The Oslo Center
The Power of Nutrition
Transparency International Taiwan Chapter
Trócaire
UmminRashida Care Foundation
Union des Amis Socio Culturels d'Action en Developpement (UNASCAD)
Union of Rural Farmers Association (URFA) / SUN Civil Society Alliance of Liberia
United Mission for Relief and Development
United Nations Association of San Diego
Universal Versatile Society
University of Greenwich
Voice and Accountability Platform
Wageningen University & Research
War Child Canada
West Support inc.
Women Access to Relief and Development Actions (WARDA)
Women Empowerment Against Poverty of Nepal (WEAPoN)
World Accord
World Vision International
Yemen Family Care Association
Young Power in Social Action (YPSA)
Youth Enlightenment Forum
Youth Foundation of Bangladesh
Youth Love Egypt Foundation
Zéro Pauvre Afrique