In recent decades, there has been significant progress for girls and women. In fact, since 2015, the world has seen 50 million more girls walk school halls, millions more women have entered the workforce, the number of women in leadership roles has grown, child marriage rates globally are declining, and there has been a decrease in maternal deaths.

Nutrition plays a crucial role in this progress. Well-nourished girls perform better in school; well-nourished mothers experience healthier pregnancies. They are less likely to experience childbirth complications, and well-nourished women have higher earnings. This increase in income gives women greater control over decisions that impact their nutrition and their children’s nutrition. In addition, improved nutrition, especially for women and girls, is crucial for achieving gender equality and the UN’s Global Goals.

However, despite this progress, globally, over 1 billion adolescent girls and women still suffer from undernutrition, nutrient deficiencies, or anemia. What’s more, is that acute malnutrition rates among pregnant and breastfeeding women and adolescent girls have risen by 25% since 2020 in 12 countries most affected by the global food and nutrition crisis. In South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, 68% of young girls and women are underweight, and 60% of young girls and women are affected by anemia.

The situation continues to worsen with the global food crisis, increasing food and fuel prices, conflicts, poverty, and extreme weather events caused by climate change. This will make it even more challenging for the most vulnerable adolescent girls and women to access the nutritious diets, resources, and care they need. 

Currently, no country is on track to meet the 2030 global targets to reduce anemia in adolescent girls and women by half and low birthweight in newborns by 30%.The global response with policies, programs, and actions falls short in ensuring the right to proper nutrition for all adolescent girls and women.

Here are six ways we can improve women’s and girl’s nutrition.

1. Invest in Women’s Economic Empowerment

When adolescent girls and women are empowered to make crucial decisions that impact their lives and have sufficient access to economic resources, they can better obtain the nutritious diets and care they need.

Women’s participation in the workforce leads to improved household dietary diversity and nutrition — a benefit that’s not just for women but for all those occupying the same household. This is due to women gaining financial independence, increased knowledge of diverse diets, and empowerment in household decision-making, enabling them to make healthier and more diverse food choices for themselves and their families.

2. Expand the Coverage of Multiple Micronutrient Supplements for Pregnant Women

A healthy pregnancy requires a balanced diet that provides enough energy, protein, vitamins, and minerals to fulfill the increased needs of the mother and the developing baby. Yet, many pregnant women do not consume enough fruits, vegetables, meat, and dairy products to meet these requirements. This is often from a lack of access to these sources of valuable nutrition, whether due to location, food price hikes, the impacts of the climate crisis on local foods, or even unrest limiting food accessibility.

This can lead to deficiencies in essential nutrients, an issue that is particularly prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa, south-central Asia, and south-east Asia. Maternal undernutrition in these regions is widespread and is known to significantly contribute to poor outcomes during childbirth.  

Multiple micronutrient supplements, which contain 15 essential micronutrients,have been validated as a safe and effective method to enhance dietary intake during pregnancy. This medication has been proven to be more efficient than iron and folic acid supplements in tackling the issue of low birth weight, particularly in pregnant women who are anemic or underweight. Another essential benefit of these supplements is that they can help reduce maternal mortality and stillbirths.

Despite their benefits, only 43% of pregnant women take iron and folic acid supplements, and just 29 low- and middle-income countries provide multiple micronutrient supplements at sca

Social protection programs can help address vulnerability, gender inequality, and poverty by providing resources such as cash, food, or vouchers to low-income households. Targeted social protection for women can enhance food and nutrition security by increasing women’s autonomy and decision-making power. Women benefiting from these programs tend to make better nutrition-related decisions for themselves and their children.

4. Increase Investment For Women in the Agricultural Sector

Did you know that women and girls constitute around 43% of the Global South’s agricultural workforce? Yet, they face barriers that male farmers do not, such as limited access to land, loans, and machinery. Supporting the essential needs of women in agriculture can enhance their well-being, reduce hunger, increase incomes, and improve resilience.

5. Boost Financing For Research Related to Women's and Girl's Nutrition

Like most development-related issues, research and data are key to addressing nutrition concerns among adolescent girls and women. Regular data collection and analysis can inform communities and governments about the scale and impact of female malnutrition, boosting understanding of the severity of the issue and subsequently driving effective action. 

UNICEF emphasizes this point: "Without data and evidence, we cannot bring visibility to the true scale of the nutrition problem and generate demand for faster and more effective action."

6. Invest in Nutritional Education For Women and Girls

Education is key: giving adolescent girls nutritional education builds their nutritional knowledge and can lead them to make better dietary choices. Additionally, nutritional education can lead to improved academic performance. 

Schools are instrumental in enhancing girls' nutrition by serving as avenues for nutritional education, implementing feeding programs that offer nourishment to students, and promoting health initiatives such as deworming and handwashing. 

Access to nutrition is a fundamental right that should not be determined by where you live or your gender. Join Global Citizen to advocate for increased funding and call on world leaders to remove systematic barriers to nutrition for women and girls. Together, we can ensure that women and girls have access to good nutrition, leading to a better future for everyone.