Heather Danton

CARE USA, United Kingdom

Title: Unveiling the Gender Gap in Nutrition: A formative study of sociocultural barriers in Southeast and West Africa

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Biography

Heather Danton is the Global Director for Nutrition at CARE. Prior to joining CARE, Heather was Project Director for USAID Advancing Nutrition, USAID’s global flagship nutrition project from 2018 – 2023 led by JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc. Heather held the position of Director, Food Security and Nutrition on the Strengthening Partnerships, Results and Innovations for Nutrition Globally (SPRING) project, also led by JSI. Prior to joining SPRING, Heather served as Senior Director of Food Security and Livelihoods for Save the Children Federation Inc. She has over 35 years of experience in Asia, Africa and Latin America in the area of food security, nutrition and livelihoods and specializes in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of programs that integrate economic growth and agriculture with nutrition. Heather holds a Master of Science degree in Vegetable Crops from Cornell University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Stanford University.

Abstract

Abstract should give clear indication of the objectives, scope, results, methods used, and conclusion of your work. One figure and one table can be included in your results and discussions.

Background: Gender inequalities and gender norms restrict women’s access to resources and services, such as land, knowledge, and food, leading to poverty and food and nutrition insecurity1. Gender issues are multivariate and acute in Southeast and West African settings. Cultural and social norms often dictate that women and girls eat last and least. We conducted formative studies on how gender inequality affects women’s access to and consumption of healthy diets under the CASCADE project. CASCADE, a consortium of CARE and GAIN funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Netherlands, aims to strengthen nutrition policy implementation in six African countries – Nigeria, Benin, Ethiopia, Uganda, Mozambique, Kenya - from 2022-26.

Objectives of the study: To understand social and cultural norms that affect gender inequalities as they affect access to and consumption of healthy diets, especially among women and children in six African countries, and guide the development of gender-transformative interventions for the CASCADE project.

Methodology: The studies were conducted using both quantitative and qualitative methods. The research team shared findings from a desk review of country-specific reports to facilitate the interpretation of gender-related data to improve nutrition.

Result and discussion: Cultural restrictions and taboos significantly limit women's access to protein and vitamin-rich animal-source foods across several African countries. Pregnant and lactating women face additional dietary prohibitions, particularly concerning animal-specific parts and sizes. In Nigeria, the findings reveal that the root causes like ignorance (60.13%), cultural norms (59.57%), and religious beliefs (46.26%) perpetuate gender inequalities. Practices in Kenya and Uganda prioritize men and boys in food allocation, with misconceptions about foods like fruits and animal intestines affecting women and children. In Ethiopia, household spending prioritizes coffee and salt over nutritious foods.

Conclusion: Across these countries, cultural norms, beliefs, and social inequalities play significant roles in limiting women's and children's access to nutritious food, perpetuating gender-based nutritional disparities. Efforts to address these challenges must include culturally sensitive SBC-oriented interventions.