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Gender alert: Food security risks of the Middle East escalation for women and girls

  • Publication | 2026
Global Food and Nutrition Security
This publication explores the impact of the escalation in the Middle East and disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz on food security risks for women and girls.
 
Based on analysis of data from 28 countries, UN Women estimated that an additional 11.7 million women and girls could face food insecurity by the end of 2026 as the escalation and disruptions drive up food, energy, fertilizer, and transport costs. Across the 28 countries analyzed, women and girls account for 53 per cent of the projected 22 million additional people who could face food insecurity by the end of the year. These scenario-based estimates and come on top of an estimated 208 million women and girls already facing food insecurity across the countries analyzed.
 
The gender alert emphasizes the need for an integrated response to rising food insecurity that meets the needs of women and girls through food and cash assistance, nutrition, protection, livelihoods, and agricultural support. It calls for strengthening women’s access to land, credit, essential services, and other productive assets that can help households withstand food-price shocks and protect livelihoods.
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Un Women
Geographic coverageGlobal
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07 Oct 2026

Related organisation(s)UN - United Nations
Knowledge service | MetadataGlobal Food and Nutrition Security | Food crises and food and nutrition securityGender Equality and Food Systems | Food and nutrition securityFood crisisSex disaggregated data
Digital Europa Thesaurus (DET)womangender equality
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