Women’s Empowerment Mitigates the Negative Effects of Low Production Diversity on Maternal and Child Nutrition in Nepal
Hazel MalapitInternational Food Policy Research Institute, Poverty, Health, and Nutrition Division, Washington, DC, USASuneetha KadiyalaLondon School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Leverhulme Centre for Integrative Research on Agriculture and Health, London, UKAgnes QuisumbingInternational Food Policy Research Institute, Poverty, Health, and Nutrition Division, Washington, DC, USAKenda CunninghamLondon School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Department of Population Studies, Faculty of Epidemiology, London, United KingdomParul TyagiInternational Food Policy Research Institute, Poverty, Health, and Nutrition Division, Washington, DC, USA
2015en
ABI
Abstract
We use household survey data from Nepal to investigate relationships between women’s empowerment in agriculture and production diversity on maternal and child dietary diversity and anthropometric outcomes. Production diversity is positively associated with maternal and child dietary diversity, and weight-for-height z-scores. Women’s group membership, control over income, reduced workload, and overall empowerment are positively associated with better maternal nutrition. Control over income is positively associated with height-for-age z-scores (HAZ), and a lower gender parity gap improves children’s diets and HAZ. Women’s empowerment mitigates the negative effect of low production diversity on maternal and child dietary diversity and HAZ.
Identifiers
Citations and references
Cited by 20 references