Gender, Food Security, and Social Determinants of Health in Haiti: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Abstract: In the aftermath of the 2010 Haitian earthquake, gender equity and food security are key priorities for the Haitian state, bilateral organizations, and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). Yet there is very little research on the gendered dimensions of food insecurity in Haiti, specifically the nexus between gender, food security, and health. Literature on these themes tends to be divided by discipline: literature in the health sciences and nutrition tends to explore dietary diversity, food choice, and food availability; literature and donor publications in community development and public health focus on peasant and women’s organizations, the impact of NGO projects, and community food cultures; and literature in the social sciences explores the impacts of colonization on Haitian food systems and the intersectional inequalities that bear on Haitian food insecurity and gendered inequity. In this article, we mobilize Charlotte Reading and Fred Wien’s “social determinants of health” framework to unite this literature. Drawing from an extensive review of scholarly research; white papers by bilateral organizations, NGOs, and international financial institutions; and the policy landscape in Haiti, we use the meta themes of gender, Haiti, and food (in)security to frame our analysis. We argue that given the interscalar mechanisms impacting women’s health, intersectional, interdisciplinary, and intersectoral approaches are necessary for understanding the gendered dimensions of food insecurity. We hope that this article inspires scholars and NGOs to mainstream gender in food security research in Haiti. Rezime: Apre tranbleman tè 2010 ki sakaje Ayiti a, kesyon “gender osnon rapò sosyal fanm/gason” ak ensekirite alimantè se yon kokennchèn priyorite pou Leta ayisyen, òganizasyon bilateral yo ak òganizasyon non-gouvènmantal (ONG) yo. Poutan, pa gen anpil rechèch sou sekirite alimantè ann Ayiti ki mete pwojektè sou dimansyon “gender” espesyalman lyen ki genyen ant “gender”, sekirite alimantè ak sante. Literati sou tèm sa yo deplòtonnen nan divès disiplin : literati nan syans sante yo ak nitrisyon gen tandans eksplore divèsite dyetetik, chwa alimantè, ak disponiblite manje; literati nan devlòpman kominotè, sante piblik ak piblikasyon donatè yo konsantre sou òganizasyon peyizan ak fanm, enpak pwojè ONG yo ak kilti alimantè kominote yo; epi literati nan syans sosyal yo eksplore enpak kolonizasyon yo sou sistèm alimantè ayisyen an, ak inegalite entèseksyonèl ki gen sou ensekirite alimantè ayisyen ak inegalite sèks yo. Nan atik sa a, travay Charlotte Reading ak Fred Wien sou detèminan sosyal sante sèvi nou gid pou mete tout literati sa yo ansanm. Atik sa a se rezilta yon analiz pwofon sou literati syantifik ak liv blan an ki pale sou “gender osnon rapò sosyal fanm/gason” ak sekirite alimantè òganizasyon bilateral, ONG ak enstitisyon finansye entènasyonal redije. Analiz la tou chita sou peyizaj politik Ayiti a apati gwo bout tèm “gender” a, Ayiti ak ensekirite alimantè kòm kad analiz nou. Finalman, akoz mekanism entèskalè ki gen enpak sou sante fanm yo, nou soutni lide konpreyansyon dimansyon sekso-espesifik ensekirite alimantè a egzije yon apwòch entèseksyonèl, entèdisiplinè ak entèsektoryèl. Nou espere atik sa a ensite fouyapòt (chèchè) yo ak ONG yo konsidere rapò sosyal fanm/gason nan rechèch sou sekirite alimantè a.