1. The Role of Education – Vulnerability and the Role of Women and Girls in Alleviating World Hunger and Poverty

2. Women and Girls
Women produce between 60 and 80 % of the food in most developing countries where they have less access to land and credit than men do.
Women are the sole breadwinners in one out of three households around the world.

3. Women are Busy
Women in Africa work an average of 50 % longer each day than men.
If women had better access to farming land, fertilizers and agricultural training, yields in sub-Saharan Africa would improve by 22 %.

4. Two thirds of the 75 million children denied access to education around the world are girls. In rural Africa, about 70 percent of  girls do not finish primary school.
Women invest an average 90 % of their incomes into their households, whereas men only reinvest about 30 to 40 %.

5. 50 % of all pregnant women in developing countries are anaemic
50 % of all pregnant women in developing countries are anaemic. Iron deficiency causes around 110,000 deaths during child birth each year
Malnourished mothers often give birth to underweight babies who are 20 % more likely to die before the age of five. Up to 17 million children are born underweight every year.

6. Intergenerational Cycle of Hunger
Reduced capacity to
care for baby
Baby
Low Birth Weight
Small size
Elderly
Malnourished
Reduced Lifespan
- Untimely weaning
- Frequent infections
- Inadequate fetal nutrition
- Fetal growth faltering
- Risk of premature birth
Reduced capacity to care for family
Infant
Impaired growth
Impaired mental development
Adult Man
Malnourished
Impaired stature
Micronutrient deficiencies
Adult Woman
Malnourished
Low-pregnancy weight gain
Anemic
High maternal mortality
Growth Faltering
Child
Stunted
Reduced Mental capacity
ill-health
Delayed entry
into workforce
Reduced labor
productivity
Lower earnings potential
Chronic morbidity
Adolescent
Micronutrient deficiencies
Stunted – mental & physical
- Delayed school entry
- ill health
- Delayed puberty
Adapted from James et. al. (2000)
Intergenerational Cycle of Hunger

7. education WFP also works to support education, the key to breaking the cycle of poverty.

8. nutritious food Good nutrition is essential for sustaining life –
2100 kilocalories per person.

9. School Feeding (SF) – Nutrition for Education
Food aid - Micronutrient fortified biscuits to Gov’t and NGO primary schools
Advocacy - mobilisation of School Management Committees – community involvement in their schools
Partnership -UNICEF/others and involvement of NGOs in food delivery and monitoring

10. A Key Objective - Increase Enrollment and Attendance
Food attracts children to school
In the first year of a program, enrollment increases,
attendance increases,
absenteeism rates drop,
dropout rates decrease

11. A Child’s Vision of Child-Friendly Schools is our vision
Safe, nutritious food
Clean water
Proper sanitation
School gardens
A clean school environment

12. Essential Package Quality of Education - UNICEF Clean drinking water
Sanitary latrines
Micronutrient Supplementation
De-worming
School Gardens
HIV / AIDS education
Improved Infrastructure, including water collection, fuel efficient stoves, kitchen utensils.

13. School Feeding Results
Enrolment and attendance rates increase significantly
On a full stomach, a student is able to concentrate and learn
Children are assured at least one nutritious meal a day (fewer mouths to feed for parents)

14. School Feeding Results
Children, who otherwise may stay at home or work, are given the opportunity to learn. Parents are motivated to send their children to school instead of sending them to work
Often the food aid provided is a vehicle for the critical micronutrients and vitamins – calories, while important, become a secondary objective

15. School Feeding Results
Concentrate and Learn
An educated child is a benefit life-long to the family, community and country
Education produces a literate, self-reliant and healthy societies

16. Girls Education
Two out of three girls on average don’t go to school in developing countries
Very few of those who do, will finish more than four years of schooling
A special approach/incentive is required
Take-home rations for girls
80 percent attendance required

17. Girls Education
These rations often compensate parents for the loss of their daughters' labour and enable girls to receive an education.
Focus on girls has led to widespread success in increasing female attendance rates - in some schools by more than 300 percent.

18. Girls Education
While girls without a primary education marry as early as age 11 and may have up to seven children before they are 18
girls who go to school marry later and have fewer children: less than three on average

19. Girls Education An educated girl marries later
Has fewer children who live longer
Spaced births
More children survive
Her children are more healthy
Less exploited
Less HIV risk
More likely to educate their own children!!!

20. Girls Education
Each year of a mother's schooling results in a five to 10 percent decrease in the mortality rate of her children.
World Bank studies concluded that an extra year of education, beyond the national average, boosts girls' subsequent wages by roughly percent

21. EXIT STRATEGY Setting milestones for achievement Government commitment
Community contributions
Technical support to build school feeding capacity
Programme leadership and communication
Involving the private sector

22. In service to the hungry poor