Background

ABOUT THIS NOTE

Home to one-quarter of humanity—one-fifth of whom are youth—South Asia has the world’s largest concentration of poverty and malnutrition (1–3).

Social safety nets (SSN) are cash or in-kind/food transfer programs designed to help individuals and households cope with chronic poverty, destitution, and vulnerability (World Bank, 2018).

This paper compares the empowerment impacts of the UN Joint Program for Rural Women’s Economic Empowerment (JP RWEE) in Ethiopia, Niger, Nepal, and Kyrgyzstan using the Abbreviated Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index (A-WEAI).

The economic and health crises related to the COVID-19 pandemic raised considerable concern about child and family diet, especially among small-holder farming households in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC).

Objective: To examine inequalities and opportunity gaps in co-coverage of health and nutrition interventions in seven countries.

The World Health Organization (WHO) and other global nutrition and health agencies recommend nutrition actions throughout the life-course to address malnutrition in all its forms.

The World Health Organization (WHO) and other global nutrition and health agencies recommend nutrition actions throughout the life-course to address malnutrition in all its forms.

Maternal depression has been associated with adverse child growth and development; less is known about its relation to children's diet.

Antenatal care (ANC) is an important platform to deliver health and nutrition interventions during pregnancy but there is limited evidence on how both the number and content of ANC visits relate to birth outcomes.

As COVID-19 vaccines are becoming available, governments will need to assess the number and location of the most vulnerable people within their populations.

In anticipation of the development of a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine—the distribution of which will be a complex and sensitive issue—governments will need to assess the number and location of the most vulnerable people within their populati

Although women’s empowerment and gender equality are often linked with better maternal and child nutrition outcomes, recent systematic reviews find inconclusive evidence.

Child stunting and linear growth faltering have declined over the past few decades and several countries have made exemplary progress.

The WHO recommends Essential Nutrition Actions (ENAs) throughout the life course to tackle malnutrition in all its forms.

South Asia carries the largest burden of malnutrition globally. Tracking coverage of nutrition interventions is a critical step in designing effective nutrition policies and monitoring progress in the region.

South Asian countries carry the largest burden of undernutrition globally. The World Health Organization has recommended a set of Essential Nutrition Actions (ENA) to tackle all forms of malnutrition.