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Invest in nutrition for git child

Parvez Babul
IRL children's health and nutrition play a very impor- rant role in determining the heal th of future population, because it hasan intergenerational effect. Cumulative impact of the low health situation and malnutrition of girk are reflected in the high maternal mortality rate, the incidence of low birth weight babies, high parenatal mortality and consequent high fertility rate. In our country many girk/ adolescents became mother without precaution foriL
'Ilie relevant cause behind die problems are poverty, over population. unemployment, more than two children in a family, negligence of girl children, illiteracy, lack of awareness, dowry, early marriage, flood, cyclone/ disaster, a vicious circle of malnutrition etc. On the other hand, we could not adopt any sustainable initiatives to prevent population growth, to ensure food security, especially forthe mostvulnerableanddisadvantaged.
Even today, in thk 21st centpry most of our girk and adolescents are being forced to marry at a very early age. As a result they have to stop education, give birth to low birth weight children. Most of the girl children have little say in the timing of marriage or choice of their spouse. After marriage they get very limited power within their new households.
By preventing malnutrition of girl children, we can get healthy girk (o ensure safe motherhood, planned family with one child or two children, increased rate of school enrollment. These are the preconditions for building a healthy and wealthy nation with the opportunity to practice all types of human rights of girk/women, for their taking part in deckion making and beingeducatedandempowered.
Helen Keller International (HKD-Bangladesh, described in its survey report (1999) on iron deficiency that approximately 52.7 percent of Bangladeshi children between 6-59 months are anaemic (haemoglobin levek below 11.0 g/ dl).£ Children are more likely to be anaemic if their mothers suffer from anaemia. Childhood anaemia k also related to the diet and to the mother's propensity to purchase special foods for the household.
I IKI added that Bangladesh is a disaster prone country and households are plagued by natural disasters as well as crises related to illness, employmentopportunities and social obligations. These crises force households to sdl assets, sell advance labour, and/ ortakeloansatextremely liigh interest rates in order to survive. Thk is why the cyclic pattern of poverty in Bangladesh k associated with poor nutritional outcomes, such as vitamin A defidency among children. The Iodine Defidency Disorder (IDD) survey undertaken in Bangladesh in 1993 revealed that 68.9 percent are victims oflodine deficiency.
If we invest in nutrition for our girl children, we will be benefited a lot. Sudi as, iodine fortification and salt iodisation programme; benefit 8 percent in child mortality reduction. By eliminating Vitamin A defidency, we can reduce 16 percent of die burden of disease in children. By eliminating iron deficiency and severe anemia, we can be able to reduce 13 percent of maternal disease burden. Daily zinc supplementation hdps to reduce 70 percent of infant mortality. By eliminating micronutrient malnutrition in children and anemia in reproductive age women, it is possible to save 18 percent of the burden of disease and 15 percent of ch-ldren's
underweight Low birth weight k the best single predictor of malnutrition. Low birth weight leads to increased obesity and noncommunicable disease morbidity.
Where population is living in poverty, multiple micronutrrtient deficiencies coexkt. Wbman's status impacts on the nutritional status of her child. Micronutrient deficiencies are responsible for economic costs at individual, community and national levels. Integrated approach is required to prevent malnutrition. To achieve sustainable improvement of the nutritional status of girl children, women's status should be improved. Women's health must also be improved for their own sake so that they are able to lead a productive, healthy life and play a vital role everywhere.
Undernourished mothers are likely to give birth to premature or underweight children who become stunted by age three. These children experience developmental delays and mental impairment They suffer from chronic susceptibility to infections in infancy and metabolic disorders such as diabetes and heart disease in midlife. Nutritional deficiencies can be prevented by promoting breastfeeding, iodizing salt, fortifying staple foods with Vitamin A. and providing
■ semi annual dosage ofVitamin A. Iron and Zinc etc.
Special attentionshouldbegiven to the girl child, whose physical growth, mental development and level of education determine the quality of next generation’s children. Discrimination against girk limits their access to adequate nutrition and health care. So, the small child eventually becomes a small mother, whose risk of dying in firstpregnancyislOtimes greater than a woman of normal height and weight. The same order of risk applies to premature and small (less than 2300 grams) babies in the first year of life.
Concerted efforts are necessary to protect the health of girt child through recognising the fact that the potential of the chil d is related directly to the educational and social status of the mother Women's educational achievement and social status are the main determinants ofchildren's nutrition.
When family planning and reproductive health services respond to the needs of educating women, fertility declines further in response to changing perceptions of ideal family size. Mainstreaming gender concerns in social development programmes is essential for success. Giri children are particularly vulnerable to certain human rights violationsand therefore require additional protections.
Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action mentioned that national and international mechanisms and initiatives should be strengthened for the defence and protection of children, in particular the girl child, abandoned children, street children, economically and socially exploited children, refugee anddisplaced children.
Beijing Declaration emphasised to ensure human rights of girl child as an inalienable, integral and indivkible part of all human rights and fundamental freedoms. So, let us keep in mind that among other rights, nutrition for girl child k her constitutional human right too. Under these logical and humanitarian grounds, thk is the very important time for our government. donor agencies, NGCte, civil society and the scrupulous people of the country to work actively as well as to invest in nutrition forthe girlchild.
••a/vez Babul is a Manca writer..