Peer-reviewed article

Association between intimate partner violence and child nutrition status in Rwanda: findings from recent Rwanda demographic and health survey 2019/20.

Izabayo J, Bahati C, Niyonsenga J, Gashugi Y, Munezero P et al. · 19 May 2026

Abstract

Background Despite significant socio-economic progress and a decade of interventions aimed at improving nutrition, malnutrition remains a significant problem among children under the age of five in Rwanda. While several studies have been conducted to identify important risk factors for malnutrition in Rwanda, none have specifically assessed the association between intimate partner violence (IPV) and child nutritional status. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the association between women's exposure to IPV and the nutritional status of their children in Rwanda. Methods The study analyzed secondary data from the Rwanda Demographic and Health Survey 2019-20 (RDHS 2019/20). Data was gathered on women's emotional, physical, and sexual IPV experiences, as well as the anthropometric characteristics of their children aged under five. To determine the association between IPV exposure and child nutrition status, we used a multinomial logistic regression model. A weighted sample of 1277 women with at least one child under 5 years old, were studied. Results This study found that among 1,277 ever-married or partnered women, 36% (95% CI: 33.2%-38.7%) experienced physical IPV, 33.8% (95% CI: 31.2%-36.5%) experienced emotional IPV, and 14.6% (95% CI: 12.7%-16.7%) experienced sexual IPV. Overall, 45.7% (95% CI: 43.0%-48.5%) reported experiencing at least one form of IPV. Among their children, the prevalence of stunting was 30.7% (95% CI: 27.8%-33.1%), while 7% (95% CI: 5.6%-8.4%) were underweight, and 25.3% (95% CI: 22.8%-27.6%) experienced either stunting or underweight status. The results indicate that children whose mothers experienced sexual IPV were more likely to be underweight and stunted compared to their counterparts (ARRR = 2.53, 95% CI: 1.13-5.67). Conclusion Maternal experience of sexual intimate partner violence is associated with a higher likelihood of stunting and underweight among their children. Therefore, the study's findings underline the importance of effective interventions to address violence against women, as well as nutrition-based policies and programs to reduce malnutrition among children under the age of five.