Page 58 - Winning The Nutrition Battle

Mobilising the

Community: Jan Andolan

Though Indians are marching to keep pace with globalisation, as a country and
community, many older social attitudes still are passed on from one generation
to another. This includes taboos, social attitudes, gender bias, attitudes towards
backward castes and communities.

For the Poshan Abhiyan to reach the intended recipients social change is necessary.
This change can only come about by rewiring the attitude of people and creating
greater awareness about health, hygiene and the importance of nutrition.

While community workers are often able to affect change in small pockets, the
enormity of the problem requires a mass movement.

As an example, it could be that women in villages are often the last to eat, sometimes
surviving on leftovers. Pregnant women especially may miss out on nutrition as a
result. This is in part because of the gender bias that gives men importance in Indian
households. Or a belief that having iron tablets causes a darkening of the skin.

While the change is slow, for the long term success of the program, it is imperative
that more and more beneficiaries are able to break away from debilitating customs
and beliefs that result in undernutrition. Oftentimes, such undernutrition keeps
generations in poverty.

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