by Luna Awada
“Look Who Is Coming to Dinner,” by Helen Zughaib. (C), gouache on board, 20 x 30”, 2009
Gender equality is the absence of discrimination based on a person’s sex and their access to resources, services and opportunities. Without gender based discrimination, individuals have the equal chance to reach their full potential, exercise their human rights and dignity, and benefit from social, cultural, economic, and political growth. With the full recognition of the needs and interests of both sexes, women and men become partners in their household, community, and society.
Therefore, gender equality is not a women’s issue but should interest and fully engage men as well because it is a human rights issue, a prerequisite for, and indicator of sustainable development. Despite significant progress across the Middle East and North Africa, gender equality for women remains a persistent challenge and concern. While federal laws in Lebanon assert the equality of all citizens, legal loopholes in Syria, Jordan, Sudan, and Egypt impede young women and adolescent girls from practicing their rights to live decently. These loopholes also help exonerate perpetrators of sexual abuse, domestic violence, and “honor killings.” Although these countries define the legal age for marriage as 18, additional laws permit girls under eighteen to marry if it is deemed in their best interest.
According to Plan-International, the region ranks lowest on the Global Gender Index, and scores poorly on health, education, political participation, and economic involvement indicators. Gender-based violence comprises the most widespread violation of human rights, with one out of every three women in the MENA region at risk of enduring physical and emotional abuse. The International Labor Organization’s records a -26% female labor force participation rate in the Middle East, compared to 56% globally. On the other hand, male labor force participation rates in the Middle East exceed the global average by 2%. The female unemployment rate in the MENA region is triple that of the global average; this disproportionate rate relates to women’s devotion of the majority of their time to their children, as they spend almost five times more hours than men on unpaid child work.
Unfortunately, the detriment of this situation doesn’t end here as The United Nations anticipates a 14-19% decrease in employment due to the present and unprecedented economic and political crisis, the onset of COVID-19, and the recent Beirut explosion. Lebanon ranks 145th out of 153 countries in the 2020 World Economic Forum's Gender Gap Report. Likewise, spousal violence is prevalent around 25%. Gender inequality also influences nutritional outcomes, for example, refugee women in Lebanon comprise the most food-insecure members of their community, because they lack legal status or proper shelter. The lack of access to education, social mobility, and limited decision-making authority in the household all contribute to nutritional outcomes. Consequently, a multidisciplinary approach must address the discriminatory conventions that impede on ability of women and girls to improve their health.
Gender equality affects nutrition through food security
The United Nations’ Committee on World Food Security defines food security as the access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that fulfills dietary preferences and leads a healthier lifestyle. Due to their lack of education and decision-making power, women are more vulnerable to food insecurity. In patriarchal settings, men control productive inputs and income, they decide the quantity and quality of food purchased. When food is scarce, women and girls decrease their nutritional intake so that men and boys can eat more.
Poor sanitation and lack of access to safe drinking water also put women and their children at risk of sickness, starvation, and death. Even if a sufficient supply of nutritious food is available, mothers redistribute food and resources to keep their families healthy and free of illness. This caregiving role causes women to endanger their physical and mental health. Traditional practices and beliefs that prioritize men’s health may impact eating patterns and food taboos, preventing women from getting the nutrients they need, especially when pregnant or lactating. Because women e lack the authority to change these customs. To ensure food and nutrition security, women must be empowered to promote healthy, balanced diets through the cultivation and consumption of nutrient-dense crops using sustainable local food systems.
Gender equality affects nutrition through healthcare services and accommodations
The lack of access to health services and information networks impacts women’s health and nutrition. In isolated rural areas with poor infrastructure, women are often deprived of the freedom and choice to access these services. According to Images MENA’s Egypt’s 2016 data in 2016, 32% of female respondents declared that they were denied the right to seek medical care due to their families’ “disapproval” or financial burden. Cultural norms forbid these women from traveling far from their home or interacting with strangers, particularly men. Moreover, these women spend the majority of their time working in the fields, or obtaining resources such as fuel, wood, and water. These responsibilities cause exhaustion and over-exertion and threaten their health and nutrition, especially if they are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Gender equality influences the nutrition of future generations
Between conception and a child’s second birthday, malnutrition results in lasting physiological and cognitive repercussions. The regional average of exclusive breastfeeding in the first 6 months of life is 29.3%, and indicates poor conformity with WHO’s guidelines for compliance with an infant’s nutritional needs. If the mother is malnourished, she cannot properly breastfeed and her infant will likely suffer from inadequate mental development, suboptimal physical growth, flawed metabolic balance, and weak immunity in the first six months of life. In the long term, infants face an increased risk of mental and physiological challenges in childhood and adolescence.
Young girls are likely to l end up like their mothers: malnourished. Women deliver malnourished babies and perpetuate a multigenerational cycle of deprivation. Furthermore, the review highlighted that the prevalence of low birth weight in the region (defined as the percentage of infants that weigh below 2.5 kg at birth), is 17.3%, which is a high percentage compared to the global average of 14.6%. This is problematic because LBW children have a high rate of abnormal growth, diseases, neurodevelopmental disorders, and cognitive abnormalities. In most cases, LBW is linked to poor maternal health and prenatal factors. Moreover, the review sheds light on the coexistence of undernutrition with overnutrition and demonstrates that among children aged less than five years, the estimated regional average for overweight and obesity is significantly high (8.42%), exceeding the global average (6.7%). Interestingly, pediatric obesity is associated with lower levels of exclusive breastfeeding, parental obesity, and maternal BMI, in addition to other factors related to the high intake of sugar and fat foods. Therefore, strengthening women's authority, influence, and decision-making positions in the family and community can be an effective technique not only for improving their nutritional intake and health, but also the health and well-being of their children.
“Why are women more likely than men to suffer from malnutrition?”
This intriguing question deserves an investigation of the gender roles constructed in the Middle East. Gender inequality is embedded in all aspects of life including laws, regulations, social expectations which in turn influence a woman’s access to adequate nutrition. immediate action from governments and non-state actors is needed to address the double burden of malnutrition on middle eastern women. Increasing women’s access to property and their right to determine how to use their land could provide them with more autonomy to manage their physical and financial assets will simultaneously improving agricultural production and child’s health and nutrition.
An inclusive nutrition package would provide pregnant women with vitamin supplements and medications to prevent malaria and tapeworm infections. Educational campaigns could also help encourage adults to pursue a healthy diet for themselves and their children. Agricultural programs can also directly provide resources to increase the number of nutrient-dense and inexpensive meals that can be produced locally.
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