Peer-reviewed article
Gender-based violence and child nutrition in fragile settings: exploring intersections and opportunities for evidence generation.
Meyer SR, Vahedi L, Bhatt Carreno S, Roesch E, Heckman C et al. ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This paper examines how gender-based violence against women and girls affects child nutrition outcomes, particularly in fragile settings affected by weak governance or humanitarian emergencies. The authors conducted a rapid evidence assessment to identify existing research on this intersection. The paper highlights that while both gender-based violence and malnutrition are serious problems in fragile settings, they have rarely been studied together. The work aims to help policymakers and programme designers in health and nutrition sectors better understand these interconnected issues.
Key points
- Gender-based violence is disproportionately perpetrated against women and girls due to harmful gender norms, structural power inequalities, and discrimination
- Risk factors for gender-based violence are exacerbated in fragile settings while protective factors are eroded
- Adequate nutrition is critical for children's mental and physical health, especially in fragile settings
- The combined impact of gender-based violence and child malnutrition has rarely been examined together in research
- Improved understanding of these intersections can inform programming and policy in both health and nutrition sectors
Limitations
This is a rapid evidence assessment rather than a primary research study, so it summarizes existing evidence rather than generating new data. The document does not provide specific quantitative findings or details about particular interventions tested.
Abstract
Gender-based violence (GBV) is disproportionately perpetrated against women and girls, due to harmful gender and social norms, structural gender-based power inequalities and pervasive discrimination against women and girls globally. In settings of fragility (eg, weak governance and humanitarian emergencies), risk factors for GBV are exacerbated while protective factors are eroded. Adequate nutrition is critical for mental and physical health and ensuring adequate nutrition for children in fragile settings is particularly critical. Fragile settings include heightened risk for GBV and malnutrition, but the combined impact of these two health contributors has rarely been examined together. Based on a rapid evidence assessment, we present evidence for associations between GBV against women and girls and child nutrition outcomes, identifying gaps in the evidence base and discussing key conceptual and methodological issues concerning research on this intersection. Improved understanding of the intersections between GBV and nutrition outcomes can help further highlight the linkages between these two public health issues and help inform programming and policy in both sectors.