In 2023, food insecurity was a major problem for children and adolescents under the age of 17 in Argentina. According to the Social Debt Observatory of the Argentine Catholic University, three out of every ten young individuals experienced food insecurity, with one in three suffering from severe hunger. These alarming statistics were released during a time when inflation rates were high and salaries were not keeping up with rising living costs. As a result, child poverty rates were estimated to reach 71% according to Unicef in 2024.
The UCA Observatory Report found that food insufficiency had increased among children and adolescents from 21.7% in 2017 to 32.2% in 2023. Severe food insufficiency also rose from 9.6% to 13.9%. These issues affected lower socioeconomic groups and metropolitan areas across the country. The most common forms of food aid for young individuals included free meals in schools, food boxes, and the Food Card program.
The report also highlighted the impact of food security on children attending state schools, particularly those with unemployed parents and young mothers living in poverty. Adolescents were identified as a vulnerable group, especially if they were not beneficiaries of social assistance programs. Lack of access to community kitchens further exacerbated their situation.
To address these challenges, various initiatives and programs aimed at supporting vulnerable populations have been put into place, including providing food aid through these programs. However, it is clear that more needs to be done to ensure that all children and adolescents have access to nutritious food and resources they need to thrive.
