Food Security and Social Inequalities from the Perspective of Women's Rights: Case Study of District Torghar

Abstract

Purpose: The research study was designed with the sole aim to explore the food security status in the purview of women’s rights in the District Tor Ghar, KP, Pakistan Approach: A sample size of 291 out of 760 household heads was selected randomly from 3 villages of Khander Tehsil namely Bilyani, Bimbal, and Dharo. The conceptual framework comprised of an independent variable (availability of food) and one dependent variable (food insecurity). Data on study variables were collected using the Likert scale. The Chi-square test was applied to test the strength of association among study variables.  Findings: The study found that the limited availability of vegetables, fruits, bread, and meat required for a daily meal for women alongside sufficient milk/ dairy products and dry fruit to feed women at home, were found significant (p <0.05) in association with food insecurity. Thus, lack of availability of food is the root cause of food insecurity among women of the study inhabitants. Implications: A policy drive led by an awareness-raising campaign at an institutional, cultural and societal level that ensures the availability of a sufficient amount of quality food to all social segments to overcome the problem of food insecurity, especially with respect to women folk was the major study recommendations.