Bangladeshi women help reduce hunger
Says WFB official
With gender equality being important for reduction of poverty and hunger, Bangladeshi women are playing a critical role in World Food Programme's work to break the cycle of hunger and create food secure communities.
"WFP Bangladesh commemorates International Women's Day by renewed efforts to prioritise women in all our operations, and by underlining the value of involving men in the struggle to eradicate gender gaps and achieve lasting equality," said Christa Rader, WFP Bangladesh Representative.
Despite impressive gains in public participation over the last two decades, women in Bangladesh remain particularly vulnerable to poverty and food insecurity. Due to social restrictions, they face additional barriers in generating income and are more vulnerable than men to the consequences of natural disasters.
The high prevalence of early marriage and adolescent pregnancies and of under-nutrition in mothers means undernourishment is often passed from one generation to another, with more than one in every three children born with a low birth weight.
"WFP is fully committed to supporting the government of Bangladesh in achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) of promoting gender equality, and reducing poverty and hunger. Working together we can help remove the barriers that prevent women and children in this country achieving their full potential," said Rader.
In 2010, WFP assisted over 2.5 million ultra poor women and young girls. Its programmes include the innovative Food Security for the Ultra Poor (FSUP) project that supports 30,000 of the poorest and most vulnerable women in the country.
Each woman receives a unique cash grant to set up an income generating activity, along with a cash allowance, creating the foundation for greater food security for them, their families and their communities.
WFP pays special attention to improving the nutritional status of pregnant and nursing women through fortified foods and training.
In disaster-prone areas, where WFP supports communities in building resilience to natural disasters, women from the most food-insecure households are the primary beneficiaries of all food and cash-for-work activities.
Furthermore, WFP's School Feeding programme is significantly boosting enrolment and attendance, and reducing the dropout rates among primary school girls and boys, while involving women as members and leaders in school committees.
WFP also works with the ministry of women and children affairs on the implementation of the largest safety net programme in Bangladesh targeting ultra poor women, the Vulnerable Group Development (VGD) Programme.
WFP is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide. Each year, on average, WFP feeds more than 90 million people in more than 70 countries.
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