The most comprehensive compilation of information on the status of
women in the world.

Latest items for CIWM-PRACTICE-1

March 15, 2024, 2:30 p.m.
Countries: Gabon
Variables: CIWM-PRACTICE-1

"[A national food and nutritional security policy for the period 2017-2025] provides support for the nutrition of adolescent girls and women of reproductive age, through food interventions and the provision of micronutrient supplements" (22). The support for female nutrition can indicate that girls are more likely to become malnurished than boys (MV-coder comment).
Aug. 15, 2023, 6:17 a.m.
Countries: Cote D'Ivoire
Variables: CIWM-PRACTICE-1, MMR-PRACTICE-1

"The high maternal mortality and female malnutrition rates in the State party" (12).
June 20, 2023, 9:30 p.m.
Countries: Nicaragua
Variables: CIWM-PRACTICE-1

"Following the adoption of a special law on the protection of families affected by multiple pregnancy and birth (Act No. 718), during the period 2010–2018 the Ministry assisted 2,621 mothers a year who had children from a multiple birth, providing them with support and delivering food parcels every three months to improve nutritional levels." (8)(NF - CODER COMMENT - The additional support from the government implies that women and children typically do not receive as much food in comparison to their male counterparts). "In 2007, a food production programme was set up to reduce poverty and hunger among rural families by providing capital for productive assets. From 2007 to 2016,...more
April 1, 2023, 9:26 p.m.
Countries: Uzbekistan
Variables: CIWM-PRACTICE-1

"A presidential decree of 23 October 2019 approved the strategy for the development of agriculture in the Republic of Uzbekistan for the period 2020–2030, aimed at implementing State policy to ensure food security and establishing a modern system of public administration in agriculture. It also introduced a quarterly hearing by the Senate and the Legislative Chamber of the work on the implementation of the strategy and adopted a road map for its implementation that provides for consistent legislative and other measures to protect the rights of citizens in the agricultural sector, primarily socially vulnerable groups, the development and implementation of a framework for sustainable rural development for the period 2020–2030,...more
Feb. 24, 2023, 12:54 p.m.
Countries: Nepal
Variables: CIWM-PRACTICE-1

"The GoN is implementing Multi-sector Nutritional Plan 2013-2017 (MSNP) which targets teenaged girls, pregnant women and breast feeding mothers of low income groups. This plan is being implemented and has had positive impacts so far in increasing life expectancy, decreasing maternal mortality and improving the basic health of girl children."(17). "Until April 2014, the Poverty Alleviation Fund (PAF) has assisted the formation of 23,788 community organizations of the economically poor to carry out different livelihood enhancing and capacity development activities. The programme has benefited 663,151 poor households, mostly indigenous communities, Dalits, and women. Of these, 75 percent are women, 65 percent are those who do not have sufficient food for...more
Feb. 6, 2023, 12:07 p.m.
Countries: Kyrgyzstan
Variables: CIWM-PRACTICE-1

"[T]he Committee [on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women] notes with concern…[m]alnutrition among women and girls" (12).
Feb. 4, 2023, 6:14 p.m.
Countries: Namibia
Variables: CIWM-PRACTICE-1

"In order to provide adequate nutrition to the poorest members of society who are mostly women, the Ministry of Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare established a food bank where food rations are distributed to the needy." (38).
Jan. 6, 2023, 5:05 p.m.
Countries: Ethiopia
Variables: CIWM-PRACTICE-1, LRW-PRACTICE-1

"Dr. Melaku says that progress made to eliminate fistula in the years since the Hamlin Fistula Centre opened in 2006 has been eroded. The conflict, he says, has changed the socio-demographic characteristics of women experiencing the condition...'Sexual violence and severe malnourishment among pregnant women also aggravate the severity of the cases'” (para 8).
Jan. 2, 2023, 2:15 a.m.
Countries: Afghanistan
Variables: CIWM-PRACTICE-1

"[F]ood insecurity, remains the most concerning issue for women, given that 95% of the population and nearly 100% of women-headed households are experiencing hunger" (para 5). It is customary for women to eat the remains of the men's meal in the family. Without a male adult, the woman-headed households have little to no forms of income or food. Either way, women are less favored and consume fewer calories than men (MV-coder comment).
July 1, 2022, 11:43 a.m.
Countries: East Timor
Variables: CIWM-PRACTICE-1

"...Prevalence of stunting, undernourishment, and underweight are slightly lower in girls (43 per cent, 22 per cent, and 38 per cent, respectively) than boys (48 per cent, 26 per cent, 43 per cent, respectively). The rates are generally higher in rural areas" (37). "The National Nutrition Strategy 2014-2019 developed and led by MoH has a focus on pregnant women and children under two-years to reduce the burden of malnutrition. It includes a Costed Operational Plan to enable tracking of expenditure on nutrition by sector" (37). "The Nutrition Collective Impact Pilot (2015-2019), known as 'Hamutuk', is contributing to improve the nutrition situation by coordinating more than 20 Government institutions and NGOs...more
June 28, 2022, 2:56 p.m.
Countries: Bangladesh
Variables: CIWM-PRACTICE-1, CIWM-DATA-1

"The proportion of ever- married women who are undernourished (a body mass index [BMI] below 18.5) has decreased since 2007, from 30% to 12%. On the other hand, the proportion of women who are overweight or obese (a BMI of 25.0 or above) has increased from 12% to 32%" (177). "6% of women have a normal BMI, while 12% are thin and 32% are overweight or obese. The mean BMI among women is 23.3. Fourteen percent of women are of short stature" (185). "The proportion of women who are thin decreased from 52% in 1996-97 to 30% in 2007 and 12% in 2017-18. On the other hand, the proportion of...more
Dec. 23, 2020, 3:19 p.m.
Countries: Pakistan
Variables: CIWM-PRACTICE-1

"Extensive gender gaps exist in education; nutrition, health care and employment" (para 5). "Girls are consciously given lesser educational, employment and food resources" (para 22). "Except the post-delivery period in case of the male baby, when higher allowances are given so that boy can be breastfed, generally meager nutritional allocation and repeated pregnancies make them malnourished" (para 35). "In case of female fetus, pregnant woman is given less nutritious food and rest, not registered for antenatal care, neglected and even abused" (para 40). "Women experience excessive reproductive morbidities and mortality because of nutritional deficiencies, repeated pregnancies, violence and use of abortion as a contraceptive method" (para 41).
Aug. 26, 2020, 3:04 p.m.
Countries: United States
Variables: CIWM-PRACTICE-1

“Christopher Ochner, a researcher of obesity, eating disorders and nutrition at Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center in Manhattan, said the ads [of the NYC Girls Project campaign] could be effective because they offered a more realistic picture than ‘the media’s portrayal of ideal beauty, which is still this stick-thin, crazy-thin’ standard. Average girls, he added, look at fashion models and say, ‘If I’m not like that, then nobody’s going to need me or love me.’ City officials cited evidence in The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing and elsewhere that more than 80 percent of 10-year-old girls are afraid of being fat, that girls’ self-esteem drops at age 12 and does...more
Aug. 26, 2020, 1:29 p.m.
Countries: D R Congo
Variables: CIWM-PRACTICE-1

“We’re working…on combating outdated traditional practices which constrain women…Today there are customs which prevent women from eating meat, drinking milk, [and] eating eggs” (para 10, 12).
May 31, 2020, 6:36 p.m.
Countries: India
Variables: CIWM-PRACTICE-1

"The prevalence of undernutrition is almost the same among girls and boys" (293). "Twenty-three percent of women age 15-49 are thin, 21 percent are overweight or obese, and 56 percent have a BMI in the normal range. Eleven percent of women age 15-49 years have a height below 145 cm" (300). "Twenty percent of men age 15-49 are thin, 19 percent are overweight or obese, and 61 percent have a BMI in the normal range. The mean body mass index for men (21.8) is similar to that of women (21.9)" (301). "Among these food groups, women consume dark green, leafy vegetables most often. Almost half (47%) of women consume dark...more
March 4, 2020, 8:43 p.m.
Countries: Afghanistan
Variables: CIWM-PRACTICE-1

"According to CWS, an NGO working in Afghanistan, “often women lack folic acid and iron, and fruits and vegetables remain missing from their daily intake of food because of poverty”. As such, CWS notes that Afghan women often face health problems such as hypertension, iron deficiency and Anemia." (8).
March 7, 2019, 11:23 a.m.
Countries: Mauritania
Variables: CIWM-PRACTICE-1, PHBP-PRACTICE-1

"Traditional forms of mistreatment of women continued to decline. One of these is the forced feeding of adolescent girls prior to marriage, practiced by some Beydane families. Increased government, media, and civil society attention to the problem, including the health risks associated with excessive body weight, continued to lessen traditional encouragement of female obesity" (page 18).
Feb. 27, 2019, 6:37 a.m.
Countries: Mauritania
Variables: CIWM-PRACTICE-1

"The girls eventually work up to consuming 16,000 calories a day, being force fed kilos of porridge, couscous, drink litres of sweetened camel's milk, as well as chicken, vegetable and more couscous at lunch and dinner" (para. 9).
Jan. 2, 2019, 10:32 p.m.
Countries: Mauritania
Variables: CIWM-PRACTICE-1

"Leblouh refers to the practice of force-feeding young girls for marriage. Heavier girls and women are viewed as beautiful, wealthy and socially-accepted while their slimmer counterparts are considered inferior and bring shame on their families in Mauritanian society. In Mauritanian culture, being thin is unappealing. A fat girl symbolizes wealth and social class. This practice, also known as gavage, dates back to a time when Mauritania’s population consisted of lowly, white Moor Arabs. Back then, a Mauritanian man was considered wealthy and well-respected if his wives did not engage in housework. Since they spent most of their time just sitting and being lazy by not doing any work, these wives...more
Aug. 28, 2018, 10:03 a.m.
Countries: Mali
Variables: CIWM-PRACTICE-1

"The Committee expresses concern that harmful practices, such as child and forced marriage, polygamy, female genital mutilation and other forms of excision, humiliating and degrading widowhood practices, force-feeding, levirate and sororate, remain prevalent and unpunished in the State party" (page 6) (Coder comment: the practice of force-feeding in Mali is intended to give young girls a rounder, more "mature-looking" body so that they can be married as soon as possible - ARR). "The Committee is concerned about the persistently high rates of . . . acute malnutrition affecting women" (page 10).
March 14, 2018, 6:54 p.m.
Countries: Senegal
Variables: CIWM-PRACTICE-1, UVAW-PRACTICE-1, PW-PRACTICE-3

"The Committee welcomes the adoption of Law No. 99-05 of 29 January 1999 criminalizing female genital mutilation and of a second national action plan to accelerate the elimination female genital mutilation (2010-2015), as well as the measures taken to raise public awareness of harmful practices. It is concerned, however, at the persistence of adverse cultural norms, practices and traditions as well as patriarchal attitudes and deep-rooted stereotypes regarding the roles, responsibilities and identities of women and men in the family and society. It notes that stereotypes contribute to the persistence of violence against women as well as harmful practices, including female genital mutilation, levirate and sororate, child marriage, polygamy, repudiation,...more
Jan. 8, 2018, 11:54 a.m.
Countries: Burma/Myanmar
Variables: CIWM-PRACTICE-1

"Among women age 15-49, 6% are of short stature (below 145 cm). The mean BMI for women age 15-49 is 22.5. Sixteen percent of women are thin (BMI below 18.5), while 60% have a normal BMI (between 18.5 and 24.9); 25% are overweight or obese, and 6% are obese" (171).
Dec. 26, 2017, 10:52 p.m.
Countries: Panama
Variables: CIWM-PRACTICE-1, CIWM-DATA-1, MMR-PRACTICE-1, MMR-DATA-1, IM-DATA-1, PPWA-DATA-1

"Access to health care was a significant problem in the indigenous comarcas as reflected in high rates of maternal and infant mortality and malnutrition"(24)
Dec. 17, 2017, 3:41 p.m.
Countries: Colombia
Variables: CIWM-PRACTICE-1, LRW-DATA-1

"According to the United Nations Refugee Agency, 7.4 million people in the country have been displaced by conflict between government security forces, paramilitary groups, and armed insurgency groups such as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the National Liberation Army (ELN). Among the millions affected by this violence, women and children are particularly vulnerable to crime, exploitation, sexual assault and malnutrition" (4).
Dec. 5, 2017, 1:08 p.m.
Countries: Mongolia
Variables: CIWM-PRACTICE-1, SMES-DATA-1, SMES-DATA-2, CLCW-PRACTICE-1, NGOFW-DATA-3

"In Mongolia, 28,107 women beneficiaries were supported with food stamps for 1 year to cushion the impact of the food and fuel crises (ADB 2011d)"(52)
Dec. 5, 2017, 10:52 a.m.
Countries: Afghanistan
Variables: CIWM-PRACTICE-1

"Take-home rations for pupils can be particularly effective in improving girls’ school enrollment. This strategy was used in Afghanistan, where the gender parity index (the enrollment of girls in schools as compared to boys) remains very low, at 0.35 in 2008 (WFP 2012, p. 32). There has been significant improvement since the overthrow of the Taliban in 2001, but cultural and religious norms, lack of separate sanitation facilities, and security concerns continue to have strong effects. To bridge this gap, the WFP distributes a monthly ration of 3.7 liters of vegetable oil to girls, conditional upon a minimum school attendance of 22 days per month. Take-home rations may be an...more
Nov. 30, 2017, 1:10 p.m.
Countries: Pakistan
Variables: CIWM-PRACTICE-1, CIWM-DATA-1

"In Pakistan, the provision of take-home rations to girls attending school for at least 20 days a month boosted overall enrollment by 135% from fiscal year 1999 to fiscal year 2004 (WFP 2012, p. 53)"(62)."Private initiatives have sometimes supported take-home rations programs. A cooperative based in the United States, Land O’Lakes, working with funding by the United States Department of Agriculture, launched such a program in March 2010 in the province of Jacobabad, Pakistan. Enrollment rates of girls there were very low at the start of the program, at 36%, and half the girls’ primary schools were reportedly closed due to lack of participation of teachers and pupils. A take-home...more
Nov. 30, 2017, 11:41 a.m.
Countries: Cambodia
Variables: CIWM-PRACTICE-1

"In Cambodia, since October 2008, ADB [Asian Development Bank] has supported the Emergency Food Assistance Program. It relies principally on cash-for-work and food-for-work components to improve incomes and support access to food for women from poor rural households, and to construct infrastructure that can benefit them (Box 7)"(56). "According to a recent assessment of the program, 22,756 female headed households benefited from free rice distribution (around 12,000 tons of rice was distributed during the food lean period of late Oct/early Nov 2008); 31,555 girls benefited from a school feeding program; 5,510 girls were awarded scholarships; 6,453 female-headed households had access to a food-for-work program; 127 female volunteer teachers for the...more
Nov. 29, 2017, 4:11 p.m.
Countries: Sri Lanka
Variables: CIWM-PRACTICE-1, CIWM-DATA-1

"Indeed, while sub-Saharan African countries consistently rank lower than South Asian countries in Human Development Index (HDI) indicators, women- and child-specific nutrition indicators—such as infants born with low birth weights and the percentage of undernourished children below 5 years of age—are generally better in the sub-Saharan Africa region. Sri Lanka is the major exception to this pattern"(18). Low birth weight in children could be a manifestion that women do not gain enough weight during pregnancy, possibly due to lack of calories (ENB-Coder Comment)
Nov. 29, 2017, 1:54 p.m.
Countries: Indonesia
Variables: CIWM-PRACTICE-1, CIWM-DATA-1

"A survey of households in rural Java, Indonesia revealed significant nutritional effects in 1997–1998. Mothers were found to buffer children’s caloric intake, resulting in increased maternal wasting. Reductions in consumption of high-quality food increased the prevalence of anemia in both mothers and children. The effects of maternal undernutrition were particularly severe for babies conceived and weaned during the crisis (Block et al. 2004)"(14)."In both Thailand and Indonesia, food prices increased significantly in 1997–1999. In Thailand, no significant nutritional outcomes were detected except for a reported increase in the incidence of anaemia in pregnant women. Indonesia, however, evidenced increased prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies (especially vitamin A) in children and women of...more