This document summarizes the results of a baseline assessment conducted in 2015 on the relationship between household food security, gender, and nutrition among women from tribal communities in rural Rajasthan, India. The assessment found high levels of food insecurity, malnutrition, and anemia among women and children. It also found that women had low levels of autonomy and decision-making power regarding issues like food, finances, healthcare, and mobility. The results showed associations between women's autonomy, household food security, access to government nutrition programs, and practices like exclusive breastfeeding. The conclusions were that improving food security requires addressing women's empowerment and autonomy, in addition to increasing food supply, and that programs need a multidimensional approach that engages

1. Ms. Manisha Kabra, Freedom from Hunger India Trust
Dr. Arindam Das, IHMR University, Institute of Health Management Research
Ms. Bobbi. L. Gray, Freedom from Hunger, USA
Towards ‘Gender—Transformative’
Food security for Tribal Rajasthan

2. Gender & Food Security
Close correlation between high levels of gender
inequality and food insecurity, malnutrition and
other nutritional deficiencies
60% of malnourished people globally are women
and girls
Inter- and intra-generational and intra-household
food insecurity persists
Despite economic growth in India, stunting and
undernutrition have not improved; known as India
Enigma

3. Rajasthan
50% of women and adolescent girls suffer from anemia
36% children below 5 years are stunted, girls are more
stunted (31%) than boys (27%)
Poor women’s empowerment, Rajasthan index score of
0.4; national is 0.5 on 0-1 scale
Stunting is the highest among children of tribal region
(54%) compared to children of non-tribal region (45%)

4. Purpose of Presentation
Purpose of presentation:
explore the relationship between household food
security and gender among women from tribal
communities in rural Rajasthan
discuss the implications for practices and policies
that target a more gender-transformative food-
secure world

5. Rajasthan Nutrition Program
Actors: Freedom from Hunger India Trust,
VAAGDHARA, PRADAN, Chetna
Program: Integration of agriculture, nutrition, financial
services and gender
Location: Two tribal districts in Banswara and Sirohi

6. Baseline Assessment Methods
Baseline study:
 May –June 2015
 403 women in self-help groups
 Simple random sample among mothers with children ages
0-2; pregnant women (20%)
 Data collection: consultants from IHMR University Jaipur
 Data analysis: Brigham Young University, USA & IHMR
University
Statistical associations between food security, breastfeeding behaviors,
use of ICDS centers and household decision-making, autonomy
Autonomy index= Cronbach’s alpha (.738), reliable scale

7. Survey Content
 Household poverty level: $1.25/day, National Poverty Line
 Food security: four-point food security scale
 Coping strategies Index
 Dietary Diversity Index
 Sanitation and safe water
 Curative care; treatment-seeking behaviors (use of ORS, etc.)
 Household decision making
 Utilization of ICDS services
 Breastfeeding/Infant feeding

8. Results (1)
 Majority of survey participants were Hindu (99.8%)
 44.7% live below IPL $1.25; 94.2% live below IPL $2.50/day;
34.6% live below the NPL.
 77% children of household were food insecure; 79% of women
were food insecure
 61% women reported using ICDS benefit in the prior 12
months (primarily immunization and supplementary foods)
 47% were breastfed in the first hour; 28% exclusively breastfed
for six months

9. Results (2)
Gender Percent
Wife makes decision:
on food purchases 19.6
about how much food to serve family members 40.5
on how money is spent 5.2
on whether she seeks healthcare for herself 3.5
on whether she can visit family or friends 4.2
Spoke to husband in past 6 months regarding food needs 71.2
Spend money most of the time without discussing with
husband first
27.5
Mobility
Can go to market alone 28.3
Can go to health facility alone 23.3
Can visit friends or family within the village alone 37.7
Can visit friends or family outside of the village alone 11.9

10. Results (3)
1. Accessibility to ICDS services significantly associated
with 3/14 gender variables: decision making of food
quantity to be served within household, had spoken to
husband about household nutrition needs, spends
money without first discussing with someone else
2. Food security was sig. assoc. with 8/14 gender
variables: all the decision-making variables, unrestricted
access to income, household finances, fear of husbands

11. Results (4)
3. Initial breastfeeding: only associated with
decisionmaking regarding visits to family
4. Exclusive Breastfeeding sig. assoc. with 6/14
gender variables: joint decisions with their
husbands regarding finances, healthcare decisions,
and decisions regarding visiting family, have
spoken to their spouse of household nutrition
needs, have unrestricted access to income

12. Results (5)
Women’s Autonomy

13. Results (6)
* p<.001

14. Conclusions (1)
Gender matters for food security, access to
ICDS services, breastfeeding (mainly exclusive)
Women’s and children’s food security status
were similar and both were associated with a
woman’s level of autonomy

15. Conclusions (2)
What does this mean for how we design for
improving food security as well as measure it?
 Definitions of food security are quite
multidimensional
 Yet most measures look at access; not intra-
household distribution of food
 Very few existing tools include a gender dimension
that are practitioner-friendly

16. Conclusions (3)
Great opportunity exists to improve household
food security
 not by simply improving food supply
 but also by addressing the “social access” dimension
= improving the autonomy of women for resource
allocation and resource management at the
household- and community-level

17. Conclusions (4)
Need more collaboration between government,
ICDS centres, community-based organizations, and
self-help groups
Multidimensional definitions of food security
require multidimensional approaches (ag, financial
services, gender, nutrition, etc.)
Have to engage men and boys, not just women.
The findings helped to assess the needs for
interventions and planning gender based
approaches.

18. • RNP led the torch with cadre of 1280 community
volunteers (SHG members)called as Community
Nutrition advocates in two districts , who are trained in
gender based approaches. They develop skills among
Community members for gender and nutrition, IYCF,
maternal adolescent health, service linkages and
financial literacy to engage in dialogue with men to
improve household nutrition.
Gender transformative Theory of
change in RNP

19.  I have held a pen/crayon for the first time in my life.
 I have never drawn on a paper will show this to my children
 I have given my introduction in this way for the first time.
 I have never been asked about my likes and dislikes
 Will my “Thali “ be filled like man’s?

20. Thank You