According to the World Food Programme, women grow 60 to 80 per cent of the food in developing nations and are breadwinners in one in three homes worldwide. Yet women and children in developing countries are most vulnerable to food insecurity.
Isatou Jallow, chief of World Food Programme’s Gender Unit, said: ‘Women often re-invest a large portion of their resources in their families and communities. This could be one reason why countries with greater gender equality tend to have lower poverty rates’.
She added: ‘We support women and girls by providing them with nutritious foods during the critical stages of their lives – including childhood and pregnancy. Our focus is not to just give any food but to give quality, fortified foods to ensure that we contribute to the nutrient needs of – in particular – newborns, pregnant and lactating women. Nutrition is critical as it is estimated that iron deficiency, anemia and maternal short stature increase the risk of death at delivery and account for at least 20 per cent of maternal mortality.
You can help by:
- supporting emergency food relief programs
- sending a message of solidarity(e.g. click here)
- helping at women’s shelters
- helping girls’ empowerment organisations
- adding a banner to your site or blog (e.g. click here)
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