As 2020 winds down, officials with the Washington-based Bread for the World Institute report in their final newsletter of the year, that there are some positive signs in the fight against hunger.
Among them, was the the bipartisan signing of the Global Nutrition Resolution Bill, which recognizes the importance of the United States leadership in the effort to reduce global maternal and child malnutrition.
What’s more, with the 2020 election there are signs of the momentum shifting to raising the minimum wage. 
Finally, there are signs that countries around the world are successfully attacking “stunting.”
Bread officials point to a 2008 landmark report on maternal and child nutrition, comprehensive research by leading health experts showed how poor nutrition during the 1,000-day window from pregnancy to age 2 leads to irreversible damages in physical and cognitive development.
Tragically, stunted children are more likely to die before the age of 5 than well-nourished children. Those who survive are unable to reach their full potentials. Despite progress since 1990, when 40 percent of the world’s children were affected by stunting, there are still far too many stunted children—an estimated 144, or more than 20 percent of all children.
Here’s a look at the ongoing research and what successful countries are doing to turn the tide.