What it takes to declare famine

Hello. Other the past days, we've been reporting about hunger in Gaza, Sudan and Chad. Today we're taking a step back to understand when 'famine' is declared, and what it means for starving civilians. In Australia, Tiffanie Turnbull reports on a very unusual court case against a museum banning men from one of its exhibitions. Also in your newsletter: Irish politics, Japanese fashion, and British painting.

QUESTIONS ANSWERED

When is famine declared?

The UN said Gaza had the 'highest share of people facing high levels of acute food insecurity' in the history of the classification. Credit: Getty Images

Millions of people in Gaza are on the brink of famine, and the United Nations has also warned that the ongoing conflict in Sudan could trigger the world's largest hunger crisis. Here's why famine itself is a strictly-defined, extreme event.

When is famine declared?

Famine is usually declared by the UN, using a scale called the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC). It is the most severe "phase" on that scale. Three things need to happen: at least 20% of households face an extreme lack of food, at least 30% of children suffer acute malnutrition and two adults or four children per 10,000 people die each day "due to outright starvation or to the interaction of malnutrition and disease".

Why are Gaza and Sudan at risk of famine?

According to the UN, famine could occur in northern Gaza any time between March and May 2024. Half the population - about 1.1m people - are already starving. In the worst-case scenario, the entire population of Gaza will be in famine by July 2024. In Sudan, nearly 18 million people are facing acute food insecurity as a result of the civil war.

Does a declaration of famine unlock funding?

No. But it often triggers a large international response from other UN agencies and international governments, who can provide food supplies and emergency funding. Many agencies typically start to plan and deliver aid before a famine has been declared.

THE BIG PICTURE

The museum sued over women's-only exhibit

Artist Kirsha Kaechele and her supporters all wore power suits and red lipstick in court. Credit: Isabella Foster

If you're looking for a conversation-starter for an upcoming family dinner, I have just the story for you. An Australian man has sued Tasmania's Museum of Old and New Art, alleging that an exhibition that banned men from entering was engaging in illegal discrimination. The accusation culminated in a high-stakes court hearing that featured synchronised performance art.

And Finally... in Finland

One of London's most famous landmarks is getting refreshed, and one of our reporters has gone for the paint job of a lifetime. Watch John Maguire rappel down the London Eye ferris wheel, and attempt to coat one of its beams without looking down.