"I believe it is possible to build a hunger-free world"

By Lukman, aged 16, a young leader from Bangladesh.

As you know, the terms conflict, climate change, and high prices are familiar to all of us and they are a cause of worry and concern in the present world. If we think deeply, we can see that these issues are closely related to the hunger crisis. For example, 70% of the world's hungry people live in areas affected by war, armed conflict and violence. Conflict causes food shortages and high commodity prices, resulting in a hunger crisis. Also, due to the climate crisis, where global temperatures and sea levels are rising, we are experiencing more heat waves, droughts, floods, cyclones and world fires. Those conditions make it difficult for farmers to grow food and for the hungry to get it which causes a hunger crisis.

In my country, Bangladesh, child labour and child marriage are two of the biggest challenges affecting child rights and we found that poverty is most responsible for this. Due to hunger, poor parents are forced to send their children to work and hand over their daughters for marriage at an early age. 

As an example, one of my friends in my neighbourhood had a dream to complete her studies like other children but due to poverty, she was married off when she was in class eight. This was done in exchange for a small handful of food. There are thousands of girls like my friend in the alleys of Bangladesh. Also, this is not only an image that can be seen in Bangladesh but one that can be seen in different countries around the world.

In this way, children in different parts of the world are dying prematurely due to hunger. But no more, that's ENOUGH.  Now, it is high time to raise our voices against hunger and work for the hungry people. We need to break the cycle of conflict and hunger, increase sustainability and fight the climate crisis. We have to come forward to prevent the hunger crisis. Then, it will be possible to create a hunger-free, child-friendly world.