Gender equity and equality

Intro

The gap in food insecurity between men and women widened from 1.7 percentage points in 2019 to 4.3 percentage points in 2021.⁷

Investing in multisectoral nutrition strategies directly and indirectly improves the lives of women and girls, and improved nutrition promotes gender equality.

Access to quality education for girls and women is critical to reduce malnutrition. If all women in low and middle-income countries had a secondary education, 26% fewer children would be stunted.

Why

Why the sector needs to get involved

• Women bear a disproportionate burden when it comes to unremunerated care responsibilities (in many countries and homes they are the primary caretakers).
• Women's empowerment and education on nutrition are closely linked, as women with more education and autonomy are more likely to make informed decisions about nutrition for themselves and their families
• Women's experiences and perspectives are often underrepresented in nutrition-related decision-making both at the national and the sub-national levels, and their inclusion in the planning and implementation of nutrition programs can lead to more effective and sustainable outcomes for all.
• Men have greater ownership or secure tenure rights over agricultural land than do women in 40 of 46 countries reporting on Sustainable Development Goal Indicator 5.1. This situation, combined with loss of jobs and restricted mobility results in reduced purchasing power and lowered their access to nutritious food.⁸
• Investing in multisectoral actions aimed at improving nutrition for all, particularly children, mothers and the elderly, will help reduce womens’ care responsibilities, by improving the health of those they care for, providing alternative and supplementary means for children to receive a nutritious diet, etc.
• This will support improvements in women’s overall health and well-being while fostering gender mainstreaming across all sectors of society.

Key asks

• Mainstream nutrition interventions in all maternal health interventions.
• Ensure education of men and boys is gender transformative to accelerate breaking social norms that impede gender equity and equality including training on caring and feeding of young children.
• Establish and/or maintain comprehensive school food and nutrition programmes, and social protection programs that fully integrate nutrition services.
• Raise awareness on the links between nutrition and gender equality, using evidence-based research to enhance understanding around how improved nutrition promotes gender equality and that improved gender equality leads to improved nutrition.
• Provide dedicated support for women-led businesses and those with the potential to reach women consumers.
• Harness the role of parliamentarians to act on gender-sensitive legislative reform for improved nutrition at the country level, by making sure they understand the importance of empowering women and girls.