News
SL ranked lowest in South Asia on Global Hunger Index
In the 2022 Global Hunger Index, Sri Lanka has been ranked the lowest among South Asian nations.Sri Lanka has been ranked at 64 out of the 121 countries that were considered. With a score of 13.6, Sri Lanka has a level of hunger that is moderate, according to the GHI report released recently. In South Asia, India ranked 107 while Pakistan (99), Bangladesh (84), Nepal (81) and Afghanistan with a rank of 109 is the only country behind India.
The Global Hunger Index (GHI) is a tool designed to comprehensively measure and track hunger at global, regional, and national levels. GHI scores are calculated each year to assess progress and setbacks in combating hunger. The GHI is designed to raise awareness and understanding of the struggle against hunger, provide a way to compare levels of hunger between countries and regions.
Each country’s GHI score is calculated based on a formula that combines four indicators-
• Undernourishment: the share of the population with insufficient caloric intake;
• Child stunting: the share of children under age five who have low height for their age, reflecting chronic undernutrition;
• Child wasting: the share of children under age five who have low weight for their height, reflecting acute undernutrition.
• Child mortality: the share of children who die before their fifth birthday, partly reflecting the fatal mix of inadequate nutrition and unhealthy environments.
In 2021, Sri Lanka ranked 65 out of 116 countries while in 2020 the country was placed at 64th position.
According to the 2022 GHI, Hunger is at alarming levels in five countries—Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Madagascar, and Yemen— and is provisionally considered alarming in four additional countries— Burundi, Somalia, South Sudan, and Syria. In a further 35 countries, hunger is considered serious, based on 2022 GHI scores and provisional designations.
The GHI said the world is facing a serious setback in efforts to end hunger, with conflict, the climate crisis and the economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, compounded by the war in Ukraine, are major drivers of hunger. The report warned that the situation is likely to worsen in the face of overlapping global crises—conflict, climate change, and the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic. The war in Ukraine has further increased global food, fuel, and fertiliser prices and has the potential to contribute to food shortages in 2023 and beyond, the report said. Africa, South of the Sahara and South Asia are the regions with the highest hunger levels and are most vulnerable to future shocks and crises, GHI report has said.
The government, under heavy Opposition fire over inclusion of a sex website in the Grade 6 English module, as well as overall education reforms, has decided to put on hold reforms in respect of Grade 6.
Cabinet Spokesman and Media and Health Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa announced the government decision yesterday (13) at the post-Cabinet media briefing at the Information Department.
According to him, the decision had been taken at the previous day’s Cabinet meeting, chaired by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. Dr. Jayatissa said that education reforms pertaining to Garde 6 had been put on hold until 2027.
The Minister said that other proposed education reforms would be implemented as planned. The Minister said that action would be taken against those responsible for the inclusion of a link to a sex website following investigations conducted by the Criminal Investigation Department and the National Education Institute.
The SJB and several other political parties, as well as civil society groups, have accused the government of promoting an LGBTQ agenda, through the proposed education reforms.
The Opposition grouping Mahajana Handa, on Monday, made representations to the Mahanayake Thera of the Malwatta Chapter regarding the controversial reforms, while urging their intervention to halt the project.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday (13) vowed to go ahead with his government’s agenda, regardless of the destruction caused by Cyclone Ditwah.
Emphasising the responsibility on the part of all to contribute to the post-Ditwah recovery efforts, President Dissanayake said that he would have complete faith in the public service.
The President said so at the launch of the re-building Sri Lanka project at the BMICH yesterday.
The JVP and NPP leader said that he wouldn’t take advantage of the death and destruction caused by the cyclone or use the situation as an excuse to reverse their agenda or weaken it.
President Dissanayake said that in spite of many calling for amending the then Budget, in view of the cyclone, the government presented the proposals that were agreed before the disaster struck.
The United States has announced that it will provide the Sri Lanka Air Force with 10 US Navy TH-57 helicopters free of charge.
The announcement was made by outgoing US Ambassador Julie Chung, who stated, on social media, that the helicopters would be transferred under the United States’ Excess Defence Articles programme. The aircraft are Bell 206 Sea Ranger helicopters previously operated by the US Navy.
US sources said that the transfer was intended to strengthen Sri Lanka’s disaster response capabilities, following the devastating cyclone that struck the island at the end of 2025 and killed more than 600 people. US officials have framed the move as a humanitarian measure aimed at improving aerial rescue and relief operations.
Fair weather will prevail except for a few showers in the Uva, Eastern, Western and Central provinces and in Galle, Matara and Rathnapura districts
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Govt. bows to pressure, shelves Grade 6 reforms
AKD: Govt. agenda on track despite Ditwah disaster
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