South Asia

Breaking the Cycle of Malnutrition

South Asia has the highest rates of child malnutrition in the world — twice as high as sub-Saharan Africa. Why are these rates so high, in a region that produces surplus food?

The one reason, according to top nutritionists, is the region’s severe subjugation of women. This subjugation gives rise to a deadly cycle of malnutrition.

• A girl in India and Bangladesh is born underweight and malnourished. She is nursed less and fed less nutritious food than her brother. She is often denied health care and education.
• She is forced to work, even as a child. Her work burden increases significantly as she gets older — even when she is pregnant. She is married and pregnant when she is young, often just a teenager.
• She is underweight and malnourished when she gives birth to her children, who are born underweight and malnourished. And the cycle continues.

The Hunger Project is seizing a historic opportunity to catalyze a transformation in this condition. Changes in the laws of India and Bangladesh guarantee women a voice in local democracy — a profound breakthrough in the position of women in rural society. All our programs in South Asia are focused on empowering grassroots women leaders as key change agents for the end of hunger — and creating an environment in which they can succeed.

Where we work:

• In 14 states of India
• In all 64 districts of Bangladesh

Learn More

In preparation to launch our new strategies in September 2000, we created a South Asia Online Briefing Program which can be found here.