Women: the most effective solution to combating and preventing hunger
ROLE WOMEN PLAY
Women make up a little over half of the world‘s population, but in many parts of the world, especially in Asia and South America, they are more likely to go hungry than men. This is because women often have unequal access to resources, education and income and, because they participate less in decision-making. But women are also the secret weapon to beating hunger. Women play a key role in guaranteeing food security and the nutritional well-being for the household.
The World Food Programme is committed to reducing the gender gap and to helping put food into the hands of women, as it is far more likely to reach the mouths of needy children.
INHERITED HUNGER
When hunger and undernutrition affect women, they also affect children. More than 19 million children are born annually with low birth weight, often the result of their mothers receiving inadequate nutrition before and during pregnancy. Around half of all pregnant women in developing countries are anaemic. This causes around 110,000 deaths during childbirth each year. Malnourished mothers are more likely to give birth to underweight babies. The first 1,000 days of a child’s life is critical in receiving proper nutrition.
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Isabel lives in the Dry Corridor area of Guatemala and receives WFP’s VitaCereal fortified maize soy for her children.
Nutrition is important for Zeinabou and baby Osman from Senegal. They receive WFP rations rich in micronutrients.
GENDER EQUALITY IN EDUCATION WITH SCHOOL MEALS
School meals are often the only regular and nutritious meals a child receives. They are an investment in the child’s future. Without them, hunger and micronutrient deficiencies can cause irreversible damage to their growing bodies. Evidence shows that school meals programmessignificantly improve girls’ school enrolment and attendance rates. This is one of the reasons why WFP is the largest organiser of school meals programmes in the developing world.
In schools receiving WFP meals, attendance rates are usually close to equal for boys and girls. However, school meals are not always enough of an incentive to attract the poorest girls to school, which is why WFP includes take-home rations in some programmes.
WOMEN AS SOLUTION
In many countries, women form the backbone of the agricultural sector and food systems, making up the bulk of agricultural labourers. Women also play a key role in guaranteeing food security for the entire household. WFP is committed to using its policies, programmes and actions to promote women’s empowerment as a key to improving food security for all.
The Purchase for Progress (P4P) programme has allowed WFP to support agricultural and market development in developing countries. The programme has transformed the lives of hundreds of thousands of farmers, especially women, in 20 developing countries, supporting them to grow more, sell more, and earn more and become more competitive players in their local markets.
HELPING WOMEN HELP THEMSELVES
When a crisis hits, women are generally the first to sacrifice their food consumption, in order to protect the food consumption of their families. It is an everyday challenge for women in the developing world to feed their families, especially during times of crises or emergencies, like Syriaand Iraq. WFP works to improve women’s access to food during these challenging times when they are at their most vulnerable.
If you enjoyed this visual narrative and wish to learn more about how women play a crucial role in the fight against hunger, please visit WFP’s 10 Facts About Women And Hunger.
Main image photo copyright: WFP/Ranak Martin
