40pc of Pakistan's children are stunted. What does it cost

Key Takeaways

• Development and growth lost during early childhood can follow them into adulthood and, in many cases, into the next generation
• Desk Report Published August 29, 2026 Updated August 29, 2026 05:32pm Pakistan banks on its youth to drive future economic growth, but around 40 per c
• Poor nutrition of the kid or mother during pregnancy, repeated infections and unhealthy living conditions can all contribute to stunting
• Low government allocation to education and inadequate public health spending are often treated as costs that can be delayed when money is tight
• But development and growth lost during early childhood can follow them into adulthood and, in many cases, into the next generation

Development and growth lost during early childhood can follow them into adulthood and, in many cases, into the next generation.

Desk Report

Published August 29, 2026 Updated August 29, 2026 05:32pm

Pakistan banks on its youth to drive future economic growth, but around 40 per cent of Pakistan’s children under five are stunted, meaning they are already placed at a disadvantage before they can even enter the workforce.

Poor nutrition of the kid or mother during pregnancy, repeated infections and unhealthy living conditions can all contribute to stunting.

Low government allocation to education and inadequate public health spending are often treated as costs that can be delayed when money is tight. But development and growth lost during early childhood can follow them into adulthood and, in many cases, into the next generation.

Watch this explainer to find out what stunting costs Pakistan’s economy and how.

ACT For Nutrition is a landmark campaign and international conference confronting one of Pakistan’s most urgent and neglected crises: the failure to adequately nourish its mothers and children, and the devastating generational, economic and social cost of that failure.

With more than 40pc of children under five stunted, a maternal mortality rate of 155 deaths per 100,000 live births, and malnutrition costing Pakistan upwards of $17 billion annually, the country stands at a crossroads: continue on the current trajectory and surrender an entire generation’s potential, or choose a different future.

The ACT For Nutrition conference on September 2 and 3 brings together global humanitarian leaders, international institutions, experts and provincial governments to confront the crisis openly, understand its interconnected causes, and identify solutions with the urgency they demand.

From poverty and maternal nutrition to feeding practices, governance, financing, climate vulnerability and chronic underinvestment, the conference examines the forces shaping Pakistan’s nutrition crisis — and the evidence that meaningful, measurable change is possible.

See the agenda here.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is 40pc of Pakistan's children are stunted.?

Pakistan banks on its youth to drive future economic growth, but around 40 per cent of Pakistan’s children under five are stunted, meaning they are already placed at a disadvantage before they can eve