Gender-based differentials in food insecurity and wellbeing in Arab countries

2022 ◽  
Vol 32 ◽  
pp. 100609
Author(s):  
Marwa Diab-El-Harake ◽  
Samer Kharroubi ◽  
Jumanah Zabaneh ◽  
Lamis Jomaa
2018 ◽  
Vol 57 (3) ◽  
pp. 307-321 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manzoor Hussain Memon ◽  
Naveed Aamir ◽  
Nadeem Ahmed

Climate change has now become a reality that has intensified the sufferings of people living in arid ecosystems. Decrease in rainfall, rise in temperature and increase in the frequency of extreme events are some of the changes observed in the semi-arid desert of district Tharparkar. For thousands of years, people of Tharparkar are coping with drought and aridity of the land by using indigenous knowledge. However, global changes in the climatic pattern and deterioration of social and economic conditions have pushed the inhabitants of this arid region into extreme vulnerable situation. This paper investigates the link between climate-induced natural disasters, particularly drought, from the perspective of changing climate patterns which have resulted in food insecurity and water scarcity. The paper analyses the rainfall pattern in the last 38 years—dividing it into two periods i.e. from 1975-1994 and 1995-2014. The findings of the paper have challenged the prevailing notions about aridity and rainfall patterns in Tharparkar district. The research found that there is an increase in average annual precipitation in the district with erratic patterns. Thus, the nature of drought in the district has changed from its historic pattern of less or no rainfall to more but erratic rainfall that is more threatening to livelihoods of the people that in turn have multiplier effect on water and food insecurity. In particularly, women are more vulnerable in the absence of social security and lack of basic necessities for their survival amidst drought. For instance, traditionally the burden of managing water resources falls on women, which leads to an increased work load during the time of drought and also water scarcity. JEL Classification: Q54, Q56, Q25, I30 Keywords: Climate, Environment and Development, Drought, Water, Poverty


2011 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lise Dubois ◽  
Damion Francis ◽  
Daniel Burnier ◽  
Fabiola Tatone-Tokuda ◽  
Manon Girard ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 653-653
Author(s):  
Lamis Jomaa ◽  
Marwa Diab-El Harake ◽  
Samer Kharroubi ◽  
Jumanah Zabaneh

Abstract Objectives This study aimed to: 1- compare the prevalence and trends of food insecurity (FI) within Arab countries using a gender lens; and 2- explore the sociodemographic determinants of FI and its association with measures of wellbeing, by sex. Methods Data for the present study were drawn from four waves of the Gallup World Poll (GWP) surveys for years 2014–2017, covering 18 Arab countries (n = 65,903). Surveys included questions about FI, socio-demographic characteristics, social support, well-being indices (e.g., global well-being index). For this analysis, mild+ (mild, moderate and severe FI), moderate+ (moderate and severe FI), and severe FI were calculated. Multiple logistic regression analyses were performed to explore the association of socioeconomic variables (e.g., education, employment and social support), emotional wellbeing and sex interactions with the likelihood of experiencing FI in the study population, whilst controlling for country and year. Results On average, 42%, 24%, and 11% of the study population experienced mild+, moderate + and severe FI, respectively. Significant sex-differences in FI prevalence were observed across Arab countries. Multiple regression analyses showed that older age females, unemployed, or those with low social support had significantly higher odds of experiencing mild+, moderate + and severe FI, whereas females with higher educational or those who were married had lower odds of FI (P < 0.05). Further, females experiencing mild+, moderate + and severe FI had significantly lower odds of reporting a thriving global well-being compared to food secure males (OR = 0.43, 95% CI: 0. 38, 0.48; OR = 0.43, 95% CI: 0. 37, 0.49; OR = 0.51, 95% CI: 0.41, 0.64, respectively). Conclusions Females in the Arab region experience different forms of FI and have significantly lower subjective wellbeing compared to males. Findings highlight the need for developing policies and programs that address gender disparities in employment; land and asset ownership; and access to services such as education, health care and technology. Negative gender social norms and attitudes need to be also challenged to alleviate FI and improve overall wellbeing of women in the Arab world. Funding Sources This study was partially funded by the University Research Board at the American University of Beirut.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wyvine Ansima Bapolisi ◽  
Giovanfrancesco Ferrari ◽  
Ghislain Bisimwa ◽  
Sonja Merten

Abstract Background Food insecurity remains a major concern worldwide. In North and South Kivu provinces, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, repeated wars and gender-based violence exacerbate the situation. However, little is known about the determinants of food insecurity in the region. Objective This study analyzed the gendered determinants of food insecurity in North and South Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a region of ongoing civil conflict. Methods 1754 women were included in a cross-sectional study. Multilevel ordinal logistic regression was used to identify household-level determinants of food insecurity. Results The poorest households were five times more likely to be food insecure (OR = 5.66, 95% CI 3.74–8.55). Women’s participation in decision-making about resource allocation decreased the risk for household food insecurity (OR = 0.68, 95% CI 0.57–0.87), while higher tolerance to gender-based violence increased the risk of food insecurity (OR = 1.29, 95% CI 1.05–1.54). Conclusion Involving empowered women in decision-making about resource allocation and actions to reduce gender-based violence could help mitigate food insecurity.


2020 ◽  
Vol 34 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ignacy Nasalski

The text addresses the problem of relationships between grammatical gender and the possible existence relation between gender-based linguistic asymmetry on the one side, and thinking and organization of social life on the other. It is commonly believed that language not only describes but also creates reality, and the lack of gender-based linguistic symmetry leads therefore to a number of negative phenomena that impede the position of women or even exclude them from participating in public and political life. Not dismissing this view entirely, the texts demonstrates that the influence of grammatical gender and the feminine equivalents on thinking and on the situation of women is marginal. The comparison with the Arab countries and Iran provides the most convincing evidence. Arabic is characterized by an almost ideal symmetry with regard to gender, and Persian has no grammatical gender at all. Despite this fact, the situation of women in both areas of the Arab-Muslim culture is one of the worst in the whole world.


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