The Global Hunger Index (GHI) is a tool designed to measure and track hunger globally, as well as by region and by country. It is prepared by European NGOs of Concern Worldwide and Welthungerhilfe. The GHI presents a multidimensional measure of national, regional, and global hunger by assigning a numerical score based on several aspects of hunger. Countries are then ranked by GHI score and compared to previous scores from three reference years to provide an assessment of progress over time. The GHI scores are calculated using a three-step process:

1. Values are determined for the four component indicators for each country, drawing on the latest published data available from internationally recognized sources.
2. Each of the four component indicators is given a standardized score based on thresholds set slightly above the highest country-level values observed worldwide for that indicator since 1988.
3. The standardized scores are aggregated to calculate the GHI score for each country. Undernourishment and child mortality each contribute one-third of the GHI score, while child stunting and child wasting each contribute one-sixth of the score.

The GHI captures three dimensions of hunger: insufficient availability of food, shortfalls in the nutritional status of children, and child mortality, which is largely attributable to undernutrition. The index includes three equally weighted indicators: the proportion of people who are food energy-deficient, the prevalence of underweight in children aged under 5 years, and the mortality rate of children aged under 5 years). Factors that contribute to a high global hunger index have been identified as low income and poverty, war and violent conflict, general lack of freedom, low womens status, and poorly targeted and delivered health and nutrition programs). Countries are ranked on a 100-point scale, with 0 and 100 being the best and worst possible scores, respectively).