Gender Disparities Regarding Food Consumption and Food Insecurity among Rural Women: Status & Causes

The study was designed to assess the status of food intake and the gender inequalities regarding food consumption among rural women in the Okara district, Punjab, Pakistan. This cross-sectional study used a sequential explanatory research design (Quantitative, Qualitative). The sample for this study was 390 respondents, and a multistage sampling technique was used to collect data from the respondents. The data was collected through a household survey using a well-structured questionnaire for quantitative data and in-depth interviews conducted for qualitative data. The findings revealed that more or less 43% of respondents agreed that males dominate in the families receiving a larger and better share of food, whereas females do not get an equal share in food. Moreover, 56% of respondents said that sons were preferred over daughters for food consumption. About 62.2% said that, in their opinion, young females face health issues due to poor quality of food consumption. This study concluded that gender inequalities and household income are significant factors that affect the food consumption of rural women. There is a dire need to initiate an awareness campaign among rural households regarding nutritious food intake and to reduce gender-based inequalities.