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Women's leadership and empowerment opportunities through community governance /projects

Women's empowerment interventions in nutrition aim to improve women’s ability to make decisions about their own health and well–being, as well as that of their families, by addressing gender disparities and enhancing access to resources. These efforts include nutrition education, capacity building and income–generating activities such as small–scale farming or food processing, often supported by microfinance initiatives. They also promote access to health and nutrition services, such as antenatal care, supplements and family planning, while encouraging home gardening and food security through gender–sensitive agricultural programs. Social protection measures, like conditional cash transfers and food distribution, combined with behaviour change communication through community groups and mass media, further support women’s nutritional needs. Advocacy for gender equality, adolescent nutrition programs in schools and policies like maternity leave and breastfeeding support also play a crucial role, ensuring that women have the tools and opportunities to improve their nutritional status and that of their families.

Modalities

  • Include a gender and protection specialist in the design and implementation of nutrition assessments and interventions.
  • Understanding and addressing gender inequalities in nutrition can be done using a contextual analysis to assess the specific gender norms, roles and power dynamics that influence nutrition–related behaviours and access to resources, as well as understanding intersectionality and the unequal burden on women.
  • Strengthen meaningful participation of women in nutrition and humanitarian decision making.
  • Engage with local women’s groups to reach and learn about affected populations. Community engagement done by involving men, boys, families and local leaders helps shift norms that perpetuate gendered disparities in access to nutrition.
  • Capacity strengthening activities for women and appointing them as health workers, peer educators, or facilitators helps strengthen local expertise and elevates women’s voice in the community.
  • Incorporate gender–sensitive strategies in behavior change communication (BCC): workshops, media, and dialogues to shift norms and behaviors.
  • Advocate for gender–responsive policies supporting gender equity, land rights and resource access while integrating the gender lens across all sectors.

Conditions and considerations

  • Prioritise vulnerable groups like adolescent girls, pregnant women and marginalised communities using inclusive targeting. Make necessary accommodations to ensure widespread participation. Schedule conversations separately with women and marginalised groups if needed, ensuring that meeting times are convenient for participants and accommodating those with other responsibilities such as childcare.
  • Implement systems to track progress, collect gender– disaggregated data to understand differential impacts on women, men, girls and boys. Make feedback mechanisms available for women and adapt programs as needed.
  • CVA programming, without appropriate gender considerations, may increase the risk of gender–based violence (GBV): Include questions that cover a range of gender issues around key CVA dimensions such as: access to markets, handling CVA, preference for CVA or in–kind assistance, gender dynamics around household income, resources and decision–making, working behaviours, literacy, numeracy and comfort with technology, other.
  • Ensure the implementation team is appropriately diverse.
  • Informed consent is important when interviewing affected populations, in particular if collecting sensitive data such as around GBV risks.
  • If working with victims of violence, ensure that someone with protection/GBV training conducts these interviews.

Relevant technical guidance

The Gender Nutrition Gap (2023). Closing The Gender Nutrition Gap: An Action Agenda for Women and Girls. guidance
A Gender–Transformative Framework for Nutrition: Advancing Nutrition and Gender Equality Together. World Vision Canada, Save the Children Canada, Bruyere research institute, Nutrition International, MotherFood International, Care, Action Against Hunger Ca tools
Care USA: Measuring gender–transformative change: A review of literature and promising practices. Hillenbrand E, Karim N, Mohanraj P and Wu D. 2015. Measuring gender– transformative change: A review of literature and promising practices. guidance
UN Women: Guidance note: How to promote equality in humanitarian Cash and Voucher Assistance. UN Women (2019). Guidance note: how to promote equality In humanitarian Cash and Voucher Assistance. guidance