WUNRN
Direct Link to Full 129-Page 2014 Report:
The level of
child stunting in a population – children too short for their age – is a
measure of profound physical and cognitive underdevelopment.
Report Calls for Strong Public Action to Fight
Child and Maternal Undernutrition
5 August 2014 - A
report launched today by the Institute of Development Studies and UNICEF
calls for effective public action to tackle childhood stunting. As child
undernutrition affects an estimated 165 million children globally and is
thought to be the underlying factor behind 45 per cent of all child deaths
under five, addressing malnutrition is an urgent issue.
The case of
'Maharashtra’s Child
Stunting Declines: What is Driving Them? Findings of a Multidisciplinary
Analysis' examines the success of the Indian state of
The research followed a multidisciplinary
approach to understand the reasons behind the reported decline in stunting
from 39% to 24%. The authors reviewed available evidence and undertook
statistical analysis of the survey data collated between 2006 and 2012. They
combined this with qualitative interviews with a broad range of key stakeholders
in the state to try to determine the driving forces behind this decline in
undernutrition.
There is a need to address multiple issues to make real progress
The report concludes that the case of
So, as the authors conclude: 'When
leadership in government and civil society join forces within a reasonably
supportive socioeconomic context, as
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