NO : WP-2019-005
AUTHOR : Erin C Lentz, Sudha Narayanan, Anuradha De
TITLE : Last and least Findings on intrahousehold undernutrition from participatory research in South Asia
ABSTRACT :
In this paper, we analyze intrahousehold mechanisms that rural South Asian women themselves identify
as contributing to their inabilities to achieve adequate nutrition. The majority of our female respondents
explain that, within their families, they are most likely to eat least and last and to seek lower quality
healthcare later, both of which can lead to undernutrition. We consider the explanations that women
provide for why they do so. In addition to norm abidance, we highlight two social factors: a partner’s
heavy alcohol use and intimate partner violence. Women report that these factors adversely impact their
own health and food security status and potentially contribute to differential nutritional outcomes within
the same household. The emic perspectives presented here show us: (1) many rural South Asian women
report shouldering a relatively greater share of food and nutrition insecurity within their households,
and (2) taking their perspectives seriously assists in identifying the underlying contributors to
intrahousehold differences. These findings indicate the value a gendered perspective on both the drivers
of and measurement of undernutrition. Attending to these intrahousehold factors in future quantitative
research may provide important insights for understanding drivers of nutritional outcomes.
Keywords:Gender; intrahousehold; South Asia; nutrition; alcohol; intimate partner violence
JEL Code : J16, D13, I00, I3
Weblink :http://www.igidr.ac.in/pdf/publication/WP-2019-005.pdf
