Alleviation: An International Journal of Nutrition, Gender & Social Development, ISSN 2348-9340
Volume 6, Number 6 (2019), 1-9
© Arya PG College, Panipat & Business Press India Publication, Delhi
www.aryapgcollege.com
Women Empowerment: A Key to Eradicate Under Nutrition and Anaemia
Rajni Goyal and Manju Narwal
Assistant Professor, Department of Home Science, UCK
Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra
(Haryana), India
*Email: shubhi_rgoyal@yahoo.co.in
Abstract
Undernutrition and anaemia have been described as India’s silent emergency. Nearly half of all the deaths in children under 5 are attributable to undernutrition which leads to a loss of about 3 million young lives in a year. Undernourished children are more susceptible to infections and various diseases like anaemia. Around 50 per cent of India’s population is anaemic especially women and children are the biggest sufferers. These two problems are directly related to the cognitive ability and India loses approximately 4 per cent of its GDP due to malnutrition. Millennium Development Goal 3rd is to promote gender equality and empower women. This MDG is critical for tackling poverty and improving prospects for women and children. Besides, educational opportunities should be provided to women to improve their status, otherwise they will remain prone to malnutrition and anaemia leading to transfer of poor health to their children. So it is the need of the hour that women must be educated and empowered to overcome cultural norms, which are the major obstacles for the women. If efforts are to be made to put resources into women's hands and promote gender equality in the household and in society, then only we can think about eradicating under nutrition and anaemia and win this battle.
Keywords: Anaemia, Millennium Development Goal, Undernutrition, Women Empowerment.
Introduction
Malnutrition is defined as ill health caused by deficiencies of calories, protein, vitamins, and minerals interacting with infections and other poor health and social conditions. It is a condition that results from eating a diet in which nutrients are either not enough or are too much so that the diet causes health problems. The term malnutrition includes both undernutrition and overnutrition.
However malnutrition is often used specifically to refer to under nutrition where there is not enough calorie, protein or micronutrients. Undernutrition is more common in the developing countries. Malnutrition has been described as India’s silent emergency. There were 777 million undernourished people in the world in 2015 which is 13 per cent of total population. The estimated number of undernourished people increased from 777 million in 2015 to 815 million in 2016 (FAO 2017). Certain groups have higher rates of under nutrition like pregnant women, children under 5 years of age and the elderly. In the elderly, undernutrition becomes more common due to physical, psychological and social factors (Ronnie et al 2011). Poor nutrition in the first two and half years of a child’s life can also lead to stunted growth, which is irreversible and associated with impaired cognitive ability and reduced school and work performance.
Malnutrition costs the global economy $125 billion every year. India has made the impressive growth record in the recent past, still it continues to have high rates of malnutrition. When someone is malnourished, they are more susceptible to diseases, have higher rates of infection and increased muscle loss, leading to a greater probability of mortality. Malnutrition does not allow the immune system to react properly to infections, taking longer time to heal (Barker et al 2011). Malnutrition makes women and men less productive at their jobs, which is problematic, given the physical nature of lifestyles in developing countries (Neogy 2010). Malnourished women are more prone to develop anaemia leading to high levels of mortality (Kent 2002).
Globally, 50 per cent of all pregnant women are anaemic and at least 120 million women in less developed countries are underweight (ACC/SCN and IFPRI 2000). Research shows that underweight hinders women's productivity and can lead to increased rates of illness and mortality. In some regions, the majority of women are underweight. Around 50 per cent of India’s population is anaemic. A significant increase in both malnutrition and anemia has been observed among women in India since 1998 (Neogy 2010). These two problems are directly related to the cognitive ability and India loses approximately 4 per cent of its GDP due to malnutrition. Ignorance about the symptoms of malnutrition, such as the lethargy and depression caused by iron deficiency, may be dismissed as "normal" or unimportant, further exacerbating the problem. Besides little emphasis is given to problem of malnutrition because it is not recognized as a disease. This causes a patient’s nutritional status to be compromised because it is not seen as a medical priority (Barker et al 2011).
Malnutrition is basically due to absence of nutritious food which is due to poverty but even more fundamentally due to lack of knowledge and powerlessness. Researchers suggest that education and empowerment are the most important and powerful ways that can help to reduce the risk of malnutrition among women and children. The reason may be lack of iron supplements or it can also be due to occurrence of malaria during pregnancy that has not been detected and acted upon. Untreated anemia due to malaria may lead to the inability to fulfill a healthy pregnancy and deliver a healthy baby. Adequate nutrition, a fundamental cornerstone of any individual's health, is especially critical for women because inadequate nutrition wreaks havoc not only on women's own health but also on the health of their children. Children of malnourished women are more likely to face cognitive impairments, short stature, lower resistance to infections and a higher risk of disease and death throughout their lives.
Although there has been a decline in the rates of moderately underweight and stunted children , however India continues to have one of the worst levels of low birth weight and underweight children when compared to other nations in BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, and China) and SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation). Lack of progress in eradicating malnutrition reveals that there is not enough being done and that the current approaches have not done an adequate job in treating this issue. In order to effectively combat this epidemic, policies including the empowerment and education of women must be implemented in communities where malnutrition prevalence is high.
The concept of women empowerment is not new to all of us. It was introduced in 1985 at the international women conference at Naroibi. It is a global issue and discussion on women political rights is at the fore front of many formal and informal campaigns worldwide. The urgency of rural women’s empowerment has steadily moved to the forefront of the attention of policy makers, development practitioners and activists. The substantial contributions that women in rural areas bring to economic growth and the fight against hunger, malnutrition, anaemia and poverty are now well established. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru once said: “If you educate a man, you educate an individual, however if you educate a woman you educate a whole family”. Women empowered means mother India empowered.
For empowerment, women need access to the material, human and social resources necessary to make strategic choices in her life. Not only women have been historically disadvantaged in access to material resources like credit, property and money but they have also been excluded from social resources like education or insider knowledge of some businesses. Education is considered as a basic requirement and a fundamental right for the citizens of any nation. It is a powerful tool for reducing inequality as it can give people the ability to become independent. Women, who come across discrimination in many spheres, have a particular need for this.
The lack of progress in eradicating malnutrition and anaemia reveals that there is not enough being done and that the current approaches have not done an adequate job in treating this issue. In order to effectively combat this epidemic, policies including the empowerment and education of women must be implemented in communities where prevalence of malnutrition and anaemia is high.
Role of Education in Process of Women Empowerment
There is growing evidence that women’s empowerment is key to addressing hunger and malnutrition. In this process, education is a milestone of women empowerment because it enables them to respond to the challenges, to confront their traditional roles and change their life. In India, women education is a major cause of concern, as literacy rate of women is very low – that is 65.46 per cent for India.
Education plays a catalytic role in empowering the women, can be enlisted as below:
It Empowers Women
Educated girls and young women are more likely to know their rights and have the confidence to claim them. It develops right attitude to work and life as good citizens. It empowers women with knowledge, skills and self confidence necessary to participate fully in development process.
Develops Self Confidence among Women
With attainment of education, women acquire self confidence.
It Promotes Participation in Politics
Education helps women to understand democracy and motivates them to participate in the political life of their societies.
Education Equality Improves Job Opportunities and Increases Economic Growth
If all children, irrespective of girl or a boy, have an equal access to education, it will result in productivity gains which ultimately would boost economic growth. Over 40 years, per capita income would be 23 per cent higher in a country with equality in education.
It Improves Decision Making Qualities of Women
Increased job opportunities of women lead to improvement in decision making qualities of women.
It Delays Early Marriages
If education is provided to more number of women, it will be helpful in avoiding child marriage.
It Saves Mother’s Lives
In some countries, many women still die because of complications during pregnancy and childbirth. Education can prevent these deaths.
It Helps to Provide First Aid to Various Diseases
Some childhood diseases are preventable but not without education. Simple solutions, such as use of ORS solution during diarrohoea and drinking clean water, can prevent some of the worst child diseases, but only if mothers are taught to use them.
It Decreases the Incidences of Domestic Violence
Illiterate women take domestic violence as part of their life and suffer a lot of pain and mental torture. Education helps in eliminating domestic violence among women.
It Saves Children’s Lives
Education helps women recognize early signs of illness, seek advice and act on it. If all women in poor countries would complete primary education, child mortality would drop by a sixth.
It Fights Hunger
The devastating impact of malnutrition on children’s lives is preventable with the help of education.
It Improves Quality of Life
A woman with education helps in improving the quality of life at home and outside.
How to Promote Women Education
Some of the factors that may encourage women education are given below:
• Parental motivational campaigns should be organized from time to time to increase enrollment of girls.
• There should be provision of residential schools for girls.
• Parental associations should be formed to encourage and to take care of education of girls.
• Various schemes and progammes by state and center government should be implemented to promote education of girls.
• Community awareness programmes should be arranged at regular intervals.
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• Basic amenities including building and toilet facilities should be provided.
• Gender sensitivity should be included the in the curriculum.
• Activity based learning should be promoted.
• Councilors in schools should be provided.
• Co-curricular activities should be organized to impart knowledge.
Educating women benefits the whole society. It has more significant impact on poverty and development than men's education. It is also one of the most influential factors improving child health and reducing infant mortality rate which further helps in eradication of malnutrition. Educated women's responsibility is tremendous. Women have a significant role in shaping the behavior and mental makeup of the younger generation. They have the primary duty of nurturing and shaping the children, the leaders of tomorrow. Educated women are always cautious about the importance of health care and know how to seek it for themselves and their children. Education makes them able to know their rights and gain confidence. Educated parents have a good thought about their children's educational attainments. Mother's education will influence more in children's life than fathers.
How Women Empowerment through Education Helps to Combat Malnutrition and Anaemia
It has been observed by various studies that it is only through education, we can empower women. Empowered women can take decisions on various aspects given above. Education and empowerment will help fight malnutrition by encouraging women to wait until an older age to marry and delaying their pregnancies until they are healthy enough to carry a child. According to Sethraman and Duvvury (2007), if this approach begins at a community level, it is possible. They can increase their productivity in market activities and household activities as well as increase power and influence in the household. Higher levels of education are associated with more efficient purchasing and distribution of food and better knowledge of their health. This is also associated with having fewer children and more employment opportunities available for them outside the home. The idea of increased employment is an important point because women would have the opportunity to earn an income for themselves, receiving more respect within the household (Leslie 1991). It is also argued that when empowering women, it must be emphasized that being healthy and not malnourished is their human right. This means that by fighting to attain equal access to nutritional food, they are not asking for too much, but instead being given rights that they are entitled to. Empowerment of women and education can also improve their situation if the traditional view of their role in the household is altered and they are seen as members of society that can have positive effects on social and economic development (Kent 2002).
Behrman and Wolfe (1982) have discussed that households in which women have more education, tend to be much better nourished, because women with more schooling have greater concern about nutrition and are better able to implement their nutritional concerns. It is also emphasized that higher levels of education are associated with more efficient purchasing and distribution of food and better knowledge of their health. This is also associated with having fewer children and more employment opportunities available for them outside the home. The idea of increased employment is an important point because women would have the opportunity to earn an income for themselves, receiving more respect within the household (Leslie 1991).
Conclusion
A number of great women have made themselves wonderfully powerful and successful in their lives through their individual efforts. A woman can do whatever the man can do in this world. Self-confidence is an essential part of women empowerment. Indian women literacy rate is very low when we compare to world standards. In India, it is found that there is a large disparity between female literacy rates in different states. We know that health levels are also very poor. They have the lowest life expectancies. Their infant mortality rate is very high. To recover from these hazards, we should keep in mind that "Women's Education is Women's Empowerment". As Women Rise, Malnutrition Falls. Women’s empowerment is key to addressing hunger and malnutrition.
References
ACC/SCN and IFPRI (2000) Fourth Report on the World Nutrition Situation and Ending Malnutrition by 2020: An Agenda for Change in the Millennium, Geneva. Available at http://acc.unsystem.org/scn/Publications/UN_Report.PDF.
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Behrman RJ and Wolfe LB (1982) More Evidence on Nutrition Demand: Income Seems Overrated and Women’s Schooling Underemphasized. Journal of Development Economics (14):105-128.
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