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ESRC Pathfinder Project Women's Autonomy and the Nutritional Status of Children Wiji Arulampalam (Warwick), Nisha Srivastava (University of Allahabad, India) and Anjor Bhaskar (IFPRI,India) November 2009. Motivation (1). Issues :
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ESRC Pathfinder ProjectWomen's Autonomy and the Nutritional Status of ChildrenWiji Arulampalam (Warwick), Nisha Srivastava (University of Allahabad, India) and Anjor Bhaskar (IFPRI,India)November 2009
Motivation (1) Issues: • Nearly half the country’s children remaining undernourished in India (NFHS 3). • 46% children under 3 years of age are underweight: • 38% are too short in relation to their height; • 19% are wasted. • There are stark differences between social groups, rural and urban areas and economic status.
Motivation (2) • Poor nutrition causes irreversible damage to cognitive development and future health. • Increases the probability of childhood mortality. • Damage suffered in early life can lead to permanent impairment, and might also affect future generations. • Benefits: Its prevention can bring about important health, educational, and economic benefits.
What is Female Autonomy? • Women's status/autonomy: women's power relative to men's. • ‘Autonomy’ reflects ‘the extent to which the mother can influence her external circumstances in order to affect economic decisions taken by the household’.
Pathways • Women are considered as caregivers in most societies. • They bear the primary responsibility for the child’s health and survival. • Women who have little autonomy in the control over resources (including time and income) within households are likely to have • lower status within the family; • less likely to be exposed to new health and nutrition knowledge due to restricted mobility and interaction.
The Data (1) • Indian NFHS (National Family Health Survey – part of Demographic Health Surveys) • 1992/93 & 1998/99 & 2005/06 • Will use the third round NFHS 3
The Data (2) • Survey was conducted in 29 Indian states • Detailed health and anthropometric information on • 111,781 women aged 15-54 • 70,130 men aged 15-54 • 46,655 children born in the last five years preceding the survey.
The Data (3) The Data (3) • NFHS elicited responses to certain questions that may be interpreted as providing information on different aspects of autonomy enjoyed by the woman.