Improving Gender Equality & Nutrition Data for Women and Children

Abstract

Abstract Empowerment of women and girls is identified as an important nutrition-sensitive strategy to address malnutrition in low- and middle-income countries. Minimizing the data gaps and advancing knowledge of the relationship of gender equality and women's empowerment and nutrition is relevant to inform local women's groups and host country response to policy and advocacy. Good nutrition and gender equality are mutually reinforcing: improving nutrition is critical to achieving gender equality, and vice versa. Simpler tools to generate timelier and better quality data using gender equality indicators for nutrition program delivery and performance can guide program managers, partner and government access to program monitoring data at reduced cost, leading to strengthened gender responsive services and more effective and time-sensitive decision making. This innovation has developed a framework for measuring and linking gender and nutrition-related outcomes, as well as a predictive model incorporating potential links between gender inequality, increased nutritional needs, and inequitable access to nutrition and health services. Through identifying simple yet appropriate indicators and tools of gender equality, it has tested this model and tools in current nutrition program settings across sub Saharan Africa, to ensure that emerging nutrition experts understand and can apply these models and tools.