Gender, nutrition and maternal/child health in Brahmin-Chhetri households, rural Lalitpur, Nepal | |
| Author | Thapa, Shradha Suman |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no.GD-02-15 |
| Subject(s) | Sex discrimination--Nepal Nutrition--Nepal |
| Note | A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science, School of Environment, Resources and Development |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Series Statement | Thesis ; no. GD-02-15 |
| Abstract | This study focused on the gender based food allocation within five cases of pregnant women of nuclear and extended families of Brahmin/Chhetri community in Chhampi and Bungmati Village Development Committees of Lalitpur District of Nepal. For this, the dietary survey was conducted through weighed food intake and twenty-four hour food recall procedure once in a week for 6 to 9 weeks. The association between staple food and side dishes was studied where female were underprivileged to obtain equal share like their male counterparts within the household. Gender discrimination even to pregnant women becomes visible in connection with specific food attitude and practices. It had a tendency to reduce women's utilization of side dishes, which contain more micronutrients. Like wise, discrimination of female in the intra-household allocation of food was obvious in the community of the study area. Further more, the staple food items such as dhindo (corn/wheat semi-solid food), lentil soup, roti (baked corn or wheat) were found distributed fairly equally, nevertheless, the side dishes like vegetables, meat, yogmi, clarified butter are often preferentially allocated to elderly/ senior household male members. Poverty is an explanatory factor for malnutrition; however, unequal gender-relation is also one of the factors for women's poor nutritional status. The repercussion of bias food allocation was high in extended family context. However, in nuclear family context, 'altruism' (internalized patriarchy) played a crucial role for women to deprive herself from obtaining more nutritious food. Systematic patriarchal approach was the strongest of all causes to subjugate women. Women were subject to extensive pressure to obey the roles of wife, mother, agriculture worker (laborer) as well as religious ideology, directing her subordination. Women's subordination in combination with lower opportunities to obtain equal share of food with their male counterparts have indirectly resulted in high maternal morbidity and mortality. Women were treated to be domesticated for the reproduction of children, in order to establish patriline and laborer in agriculture production and domestic work to care the family members. Male supremacy, deep-rooted in heterosexuality, was seen as the mandatory patriarchal structure where every possible effort is maintained to sustain the female subjugation. Family socialization like men's control over women's body through marriage system, early marriage, early child bearing, , restriction to women's mobility, restriction to girls education, higher values of food for male are all forms of domination. |
| Year | 2002 |
| Corresponding Series Added Entry | Asian Institute of Technology. Thesis ; no. GD-02-15 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development (SERD) |
| Department | Department of Development and Sustainability (DDS) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Gender and Development Studies (GD) |
| Chairperson(s) | Earth, Barbara; |
| Examination Committee(s) | Shivakoti, Ganesh P.;Resurreccion, Bernadette P.; |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation; |
| Degree | Thesis (M.Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2002 |