Food Insecurity Will Impact Millions of Women by 2026
A new UN Women analysis projects that 11.7 million more women and girls will face food insecurity by the end of 2026.
Updated on Oct. 13, 2026 in Women’s Issues
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A new UN Women analysis predicts that an additional 11.7 million women and girls will face food insecurity by the end of 2026. This group will account for 53 percent of the total 22 million additional people projected to experience food shortages.
Why it matters
Rising conflict in the Middle East and shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz are driving up the costs of energy, fertilizer, and transportation. These economic pressures disproportionately strain populations already struggling with limited access to financial systems and labor markets.
The analysis across 28 countries identifies that women and girls make up 60 percent of those facing projected food insecurity in Afghanistan and over 57 percent in Yemen. In countries including Egypt, Iraq, and Sudan, approximately 80 percent of women remain outside the formal labor force.
The players
UN Women
This is the United Nations entity dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women worldwide.
The details
Shipping disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz have created a cycle where women frequently skip meals or switch to less nutritious diets to ensure other household members are fed. The study highlights significant economic barriers, noting that in nations like Lebanon and Pakistan, fewer than one in five women holds a bank or mobile money account.
Timeline
The projected increase in food insecurity is expected by the end of 2026.
Culture Shift
This report highlights a departure from general economic growth metrics by focusing on the gendered impact of regional conflict and supply chain fragility. It underscores how humanitarian crises are increasingly measured through the lens of intersectional economic and social inequality.
The findings illustrate how global supply chain disruptions directly manifest as localized food scarcity and altered household nutritional habits. The data serves as a framework for understanding how economic barriers like limited access to banking and labor markets restrict a community's resilience during price spikes.
The takeaway
The projected rise in food insecurity highlights the critical link between global trade stability and local household survival strategies. Implementing targeted financial and nutritional support for women is essential to mitigating the effects of regional conflict on vulnerable populations.
Further reading
For broader context on these trends, visit our Women’s Issues section.
Live Poll
Do you expect global conflict to make food harder for your household to afford?
