The relationship between women’s empowerment and household food and nutrition security in Pakistan

Abstract

Women’s empowerment is considered to play a crucial role in food and nutrition security. We aimed to explore the relationship between women’s empowerment and food and nutrition security, in rural Pakistan. Methods: To estimate women’s empowerment, we developed a Rural Women Composite Empowerment Index incorporating nine domains. For indicators of food and nutritional data we used data of 1879 rural households from Pakistan Rural Household Panel Survey (PRHPS). Food insecurity was measured through a caloric intake approach; nutrition insecurity was measured through recommended nutrient intake (RNI). Using the Rural Women’s Composite Empowerment Index (RWCEI), we employed multi-level mixed-effect regression analysis. Results: The domains of traveling safely (21%), time allocated to tasks (20%), and (lack of) domestic violence (19%) were the most significant domains in defining empowerment of rural woman. The prevalence of food and nutrition insecurity were 33% and 50% respectively. Regression analysis found a positive and significant relationship between women’s empowerment and food and nutrition security–the proportion of household who were food and nutritionally secure in empowered households was 70% and 98% respectively. Conclusions: Developing programmes and policies to improve the range of domains of women’s empowerment requires a focussed policy agenda, bringing together policy makers from a number of different sectors including education, economy, communications, technology and agriculture. Women’s empowerment has the potential to make positive changes not only in food and nutrition security, but in all aspects of family health and wellbeing.

Empowering Rural Women through Skill Development: A Pathway to Sustainable Livelihoods

“…Studies like Ishfaq et al (2022) have shown that health and cleanliness classes can help improve the health of women who live in rural areas. These programs focus on teaching about babies, stopping diseases and taking care of expectant mothers to improve the health levels of country women and their loved ones.…”

“…Women in Union Council Wahur face many problems that stop their social and financial growth. Existing research (Jaka & Shava, 2018;Ishfaq et al, 2022) shows large problems stopping rural women from getting education and jobs in the economy. This is made worse by social rules related to being female, along with the limited resources they have access to.…”

“…The empowerment of rural women improves family food and nutrition security. They may make informed health choices for themselves and their families, improving mother and child health (Ishfaq et al, 2022). For rural women worldwide, finding a way out of their current socio-economic circumstances means overcoming many obstacles in seeking skill training.…”

Ketahanan Pangan di Kabupaten Tasikmalaya: Peran Perempuan Melalui Kesetaraan Gender

“…Oleh karena itu, perempuan dapat mengambil peran dalam menjaga ketahanan pangan di masyarakat, seperti peran kelompok tani perempuan dalam memperkuat ketahanan pangan. Perempuan pedesaan memainkan peran penting dalam pertanian, mewakili 43% tenaga kerja pertanian di dunia dan di negara berkembang serta memproduksi 50% pangan dunia (Akter et al, 2017;Ishfaq et al, 2022).…”

“…Lokasi di Desa Calingcing, Kabupaten Tasikmalaya, memiliki beberapa petani perempuan yang mengolah lahan pertanian untuk memperkuat ketahanan pangan dari aspek kuantitas dan kualitas. Perempuan berperan penting dalam menjaga ketahanan pangan dan gizi (Ishfaq et al, 2022). Banyak organisasi internasional telah mengungkapkan bahwa pemberdayaan perempuan merupakan bagian dari prioritas kebijakan mereka (Perserikatan Bangsa-Bangsa, 2023).…”