Why is it important to invest in children's nutrition?

Why is it important to invest in children's nutrition?

Proper nutrition is a solid foundation for children's health and development. Well-nourished children not only grow well, but also develop well in learning, social interaction, and immunity.

The period from conception to two years, that is, the proper care and nutrition given to a child in the first 1,000 days, has a huge impact on their ability to grow, learn and escape poverty.

In order to improve the nutritional status of children under the age of five from Dalit families in all the five districts of the former Karnali region and across the country, the government started distributing Rs.200 per child per month from the financial year 2066/067.

From the financial year 2075/076, the government, according to the Social Security Act 2075, 25 districts Mugu, Jumla, Humla, Dolpa, Kalikot, Jajarkot, Acham, Sirha, Sarlahi, Mahottari, Rautahat, Doti, Bajhang, Bajura, Rasuwa, Dhanusha, Saptari, Bara. , Dailekh, Rukum West, Rukum East, Salyan, Kapilvastu, Rolpa and Baitadi in 25 districts and Dalit communities across the country have been providing Rs 532 per month child maintenance allowance to a maximum of two children born to a mother under the age of five. According to Health Survey-2022, it has reduced the rate of child malnutrition.

More than 11 lakh rupees have been provided to children as child maintenance allowance and there has been some improvement in the condition of child maintenance and about 75 percent of children under the age of five have been registered and their births have been registered with identification and support has also been provided in the establishment of child rights. But there is a complaint that the amount given for child maintenance allowance is very low.

According to the Demographic Health Survey 2078 in Nepal, the death rate was 91 per 1,000 births in 2058, but by 2078, it had dropped to 33 per thousand, says rights activist Vasantraj Gautam.

Development partner organizations including UNICEF, Save the Children, in collaboration with civil society, networks and the government have been lobbying regularly to increase the amount of child nutrition allowance and districts.

The government has set a target of achieving the national goal of zero child malnutrition by 2025. Tilottam Poudel, president of Social Security Civil Society Network, says that the birth of children under five years of age should be registered and the child's rights should be registered to ensure the rights of children.

Among the 17 goals of sustainable development, 12 goals are related to nutrition and because more than 90 percent of children's intellectual development will be under the age of five, child rights activist Dr. Krishna Subedi emphasizes.

Ravin Nepali of the Children's Home Network of Nepal suggests that if the government provides only optional child nutrition support to the children of families who do not have the trouble to spend a certain portion of the contribution-based social security fund on child social security, it will not be difficult for the government to bear the financial burden.