Good Practice Note: Involving Men in Nutrition

It does so by providing Good Practice Notes, which are descriptions of key concepts, approaches, and methods in an easy-to-understand format. These notes give an overview of the main aspects, best-fit considerations, and sources for further reading. They are openly available at www.betterextension.org. Involving Men in Nutrition is a key concept in addressing malnutrition, particularly in households where men have priority when it comes to food. This often results in women and children being left with smaller portions and less nutritious meals, exposing them to a range of harmful physical and emotional health outcomes. Malnutrition has intergenerational consequences, as undernourished women give birth to low birth-weight babies, who may face cognitive and other limitations throughout their lives. Men are in a prime position to tackle malnutrition in their own homes and in the broader community, given their power and privilege. However, many initiatives target women and girls, ignoring men. This can lead to women not being able to act on their improved knowledge, and men feeling angry because their own nutritional needs are ignored. The philosophy and principles of involving men in nutrition initiatives include making good nutrition everyone's responsibility, encouraging men to talk about healthy food choices with their wives and children, and working with men together with women to plan how the farm can produce healthy food for the family. It is also essential to be inclusive, encouraging men to think about the benefits to the whole family of eating nutritious food together with women and children. Implementation of these initiatives requires a bold vision, working to change norms from within by building on men's existing responsibilities. It is also crucial to work with agricultural, health, and behavioural change specialists, and to use innovative methodologies, such as conducting thorough research, developing a strategy, piloting, revising, and using lots of different methods to say the same thing. Culturally relevant data should be obtained alongside standard nutritional data, such as the household dietary diversity score (HDDS) and individual dietary diversity score (IDDS). A rapid participatory assessment ensures the best ways of working on culturally specific gender opportunities and constraints can be identified. Moving from personal to political is also essential, as men and boys are embedded in wider structures that condition their behaviour. They must be supported as they begin to confront and question the cultures at home, in the community, at work, and presented by the media, which shape their psychological and social identities. Get everyone on board by promoting community-wide change in attitudes and practices, which is vital for securing support for cultural changes regarding rights to nutritious and sufficient food for all. This can be achieved through developing community-based awareness campaigns aimed at mobilising policy makers, media, and other opinion formers. Creating multidisciplinary teams is also crucial, including training clinic staff, community nutritionists, and extension workers on the gender dimensions of health and nutrition, as well as involving behavioural change specialists where possible. Be innovative by seeking out new partners and methodologies, and repeat the message in many different ways in different groups, and tailor the message to the target group. Finally, share knowledge right from the start with people and organisations from community, to national, to international levels, to ensure that lessons are learned and best practices are shared.