NUDEC Conducted a gender study on Harnessing Agriculture and Nutrition Outcomes (HANO) in Lindi Region, Tanzania

July 2016

The main objective of the study was “To research and document the gendered social norms and power relations that impact on nutrition for girls, boys, women and men within the household and make recommendations and how these might be addressed”. Specific objectives were:

• The findings showed clearly that decision over division of day to day household choices is the responsibility of men, except in female headed households and in polygamous marriages. Reasons given are that culturally, men are the heads of the households and everyone listens to them. Married women who try to air their voice against this cultural norm may face gender based violence and even divorce.
• Decisions on child care and feeding practices are mostly made by women, although men have the responsibility of ensuring that there is enough food in the family. The main responsibilities of women were identified as child care and feeding, keeping track of food available in the food store and informing the men when there are shortages, ensuring clean environment, taking children to clinic for routine services, as well as observing any change in child’s health and development. Reasons given were that women are the main caretakers of children, are always at home with children and know their needs. They also have knowledge on diet and nutrition that is provided in health facilities.
• Care of pregnant and lactating women is mostly determined by women themselves. In the case of first pregnancy where mothers, mother in laws and grandmothers are also involved. Men are providing food and escorting women when they go for first ante-natal care visit and delivery in health facilities.
• In these communities men were said to have access and control of land, house, farms, livestock and household income. Women were said to have access to farm, produce and other minor assets like chicken, but they have no direct control over their use.

The study has identified various negative gender norms including; unequal distribution of household roles, intra household food distribution that favours men, and men making decisions in almost all household matters. Therefore, the following recommendations were made:

• HANO project addressed these gender norms through educating and sensitizing both women and men in discouraging negative gender norms and incorporating activities which promote positive social norms. An example of these activities is establishing community mobilization groups consisting of men and women which will reinforce and encourage men and women to collaborate in decision making.
• The HANO project helped women establish small groups to start gardening as one of the opportunities for empowering women to get extra income for household food and other needs and gives nutrition education to the women groups. However men felt that they were left out. It is therefore, recommended that HANO considers inclusion of men in education and sensitization activities notably for IGAs. This might strengthen women participation in project activities freely, entice men to relieve women work, attain more household income which may be used to diversify family meals.
• The useful existing Government bylaws/regulations at the community level notably men escorting pregnant women during the first antenatal visit and during delivery are important and are implemented by the community themselves. When men are not abiding to these by-laws they are fined by the village government. It is recommended that they be widely reinforced to include all men.
• The study found that religious teachings are used to address gender norms and inequalities. These regulations are useful for enforcing participation of men in caring of women and children. Also enforce equal access and control of household assets. HANO organizes a seminar to disseminate the findings of this study and solicit intensified support through their teachings to their respective religious members.
• The study showed that, women are engaged in various entrepreneurship activities including gardening of vegetables and petty trading as well as joining VICOBA. Through these activities they get extra income for household food and other needs which contribute to nutrition well being of household members. However, major challenges were reported. It is recommended that, HANO project or any other partners working in the same project area empower women groups’ capacity in different entrepreneurship skills including; acquisition of capital, financial recordkeeping and customer care.
• The study showed that, in some household with young couples, shared decision in various household matters such as care and feeding of children, sells of farm produce and use of household income. Hence, it is recommended that, young couples be sensitised to become changing agents on shared decision making at household/community level.
• The study showed that, in big families’ men and boys of the household are served separately from women, girls and children. This was reported to be influenced by culture and inherited from generation to generation which takes time to change. When men are served separately from women there is a tendency of giving more food to men than women. It is recommended that, when initiating projects, there is need to include cultural aspects related to intra-household food distribution during the baseline study.