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The role of women’s empowerment on child nutrition in India: a longitudinal analysis

Author

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  • Poulami Chatterjee

    (St. Xavier’s University)

  • Amaresh Dubey

    (Jawaharlal Nehru University)

Abstract

Child malnutrition remains a pervasive problem in India though there are significant improvements in several health indicators with country’s consistent economic growth. Along with other factors, maternal autonomy is considered to be critical in influencing health outcome of a child. This paper attempts to examine the determinants of nutritional measures of children under age five with the focus to the role of mother’s autonomy in India. There are studies which link characteristics of mother, like education, age, with nutrition of her children. But maternal autonomy is a complex subject as this variable is not tangible. Women’s autonomy in daily life is more likely to result in their better healthcare which in turn influences children’s birth weight and infant nutrition. We used nationally representative India Human Development Survey 2004–05 (IHDS- 1) and 2011–12 (IHDS 2) data for the analysis. This paper studies the association between maternal autonomy and childhood stunting, the indicator of chronic malnutrition, and the risk of having a stunted child. We have also used the panel data using both waves of IHDS and used mothers fixed effect model to evaluate the impact of maternal autonomy. The autonomy index is created using four dimensions-women’s decision making, freedom of movement, financial autonomy and attitude toward domestic violence. The two dimensions of autonomy—physical autonomy, financial autonomy—remain significant determinants for childhood stunting.

Suggested Citation

  • Poulami Chatterjee & Amaresh Dubey, 2024. "The role of women’s empowerment on child nutrition in India: a longitudinal analysis," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 26(6), pages 14139-14162, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:endesu:v:26:y:2024:i:6:d:10.1007_s10668-023-03183-3
    DOI: 10.1007/s10668-023-03183-3
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Women empowerment; Malnutrition; Childhood stunting; Panel data; India human development survey;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C23 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Models with Panel Data; Spatio-temporal Models
    • I14 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Inequality
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health

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