United Nations warns of rising global hunger and multidimensional poverty

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has warned of alarmingly high levels of global hunger, driven by conflict, the climate crisis, and rising food costs. In a message to the 54th session of the World Food Security Committee, Guterres noted that 645 million people suffered from hunger in 2025. He cautioned that the El Niño phenomenon could push an additional 49 million people into hunger across 45 countries by the end of 2027.

Complementary data from the United Nations Development Programme and the University of Oxford indicates that 1.2 billion people face multidimensional poverty, experiencing simultaneous deprivations in health, education, and living conditions. This figure includes 617 million minors, with 83 percent of those in poverty residing in rural areas.

In Latin America and the Caribbean, approximately 33 million people—5.5 percent of the regional population—are affected by multidimensional poverty, including 6.1 million in severe situations. Experts emphasize that these global figures reflect complex data sets from various years and methodologies rather than a single uniform snapshot.