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The importance of gender for promoting food security and nutrition linkages

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Page 1: The importance of gender for promoting food security and nutrition linkages

The importance of gender for promoting food security and

nutrition Dr. Mary Shawa

Keynote Speech

Page 2: The importance of gender for promoting food security and nutrition linkages

Gender, food security and nutrition

• Women are the primary caretakers in the home, tasked with providing food and care for the family

• Women are highly involved in agriculture production, but have less access to inputs and advice so are less productive • Women’s gap in agricultural production decreases

productivity for the whole household• Women’s own nutritional and health status impacts the

nutritional status of her children• Timing and spacing of child births have impacts on the nutritional

status of her children, but women may not be empowered to choose

Page 3: The importance of gender for promoting food security and nutrition linkages

Page 3

Women’s standing has a significant role to play in child malnutrition globally

Women's

education

43%

National food

availability

26%

Health

environment

19%

Women's

status

12%

Contributions to reductions in child malnutrition, 1970-95

Source: Smith and Haddad 2000

Page 4: The importance of gender for promoting food security and nutrition linkages

Women at the Center of Ag-NutritionLinkages

Agricultural productivity

Agricultural labor

Child care

Women’s health and nutrition

Child’s health and nutrition

The critical role of women’s empowerment, time, health, & nutrition

Source: Sundberg, Birx and Ruel; BMGF Learning Session; January 2014

Page 5: The importance of gender for promoting food security and nutrition linkages

Key Figures Highlighting Gender Challenges for Improving Food Security and Nutrition

• Total fertility has decreased from 5.7 (2010) to 4.4 (2015/16), however adolescent childbirth still prevalent • 29% of adolescents age 15-19 in Malawi have begun childbearing (2015/16)

• Only 8 percent of children age 6-23 months have met the criteria for a minimum acceptable diet, which is highly linked to women’s time (2015/16)

• Women of reproductive age face micronutrient deficiencies, impacting their future children’s nutritional status: • One in three women (33%) is anaemic, 63% are deficient in zinc

Source: DHS 2015/16, MMS, NSO