The 2024 Global Hunger Index (GHI) was launched on October 30 at the Cinemateca Boliviana in La Paz. While no specific case study was conducted for Bolivia this year due to the insufficient and outdated data existing in the country, the event centered on the thematic topic of the report, "How gender justice can promote climate resilience and zero hunger."
The highlight of the event was a panel discussion featuring four experts who examined the vital role of women in food security. The panel included:
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An agroecological producer and entrepreneur, who shared insights on the challenges women face in gaining access to resources, markets, and recognition within agricultural value chains.
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A representative from the Women’s Committee of La Paz’s Food Security platform, who emphasized the collective efforts and leadership of women in ensuring food availability at the community level, despite limited institutional support.
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An advocacy expert from the Bolivian Platform on Climate Change, who discussed systemic gaps in public policies that fail to adequately address women’s dual burden of climate change and food insecurity.
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A gender specialist from a WHH partner organization Cosecha Colectiva,who outlined the advances in gender mainstreaming across food systems but stressed the persistent challenges, including the lack of comprehensive actions from the public, private, and consumer sectors.
The panel highlighted the structural barriers that limit women’s potential, the lack of sufficient support and recognition for their contributions, and the urgent need for gender justice focused interventions. Despite the progress made, the speakers underscored that achieving zero hunger and climate resilience requires transformative action involving all sectors of society.
Blanca Rivero from the Centro de Estudios Populares also presented an in-depth analysis of the intersection of gender, climate change, and hunger in Bolivia, setting the stage for these discussions.
Additionally, the event featured the presentation of the GHI report, which drew attention to the slow global progress in combating hunger and underscored the necessity of empowering women throughout food systems. A video showcasing the regional efforts of Alliance 2015 members was screened, followed by a call to action led by Ayuda en Acción.
The event brought together 66 participants, including representatives from local and international organizations, academia, and the public sector, fostering a dynamic space for dialogue and collaboration on one of the most pressing global issues. Before the event, representatives from WHH, Helvetas and Ayuda en Acción gave in-depth interviews to 8 national media outlets, highlighting the need of data, the importance of putting the right to food in the current discussions, and addressing the topic of gender justice, climate crisis and zero hunger.
The launch of the GHI in Bolivia is key for positioning WHHs work in the region and establishing more visibility for the organization, as well as for A2015.
