EFFECT OF PARTICIPATION OF RURAL WOMEN IN UNICEF NUTRITION AND HEALTH PROGRAMME IN THE SOUTH-EAST STATES OF NIGERIA

Abstract

This study evaluated the level of participation of rural women in the UNICEF nutrition and health programme in the southeast states of Nigeria and ascertained the behavioral changes in them resulting from their participation in the programme activities. The specific objectives include: determining the women’s participation level in the different programme activities and ascertaining the perceived behavioral changes in them resulting from their participation in the programme activities. Primary and secondary data were used for the study (responses were obtained from participants with a questionnaire and official records of UNICEF). Results indicate that over twenty-five thousand women in the Southeast States have participated and benefitted from the programme. The participants generally had a high level of participation (=3.16) in the programme activities. They actively (=3.30) participated in antenatal care (ANC), focused antenatal care (FANC) (=3.19), postnatal care (PNC) (=3.01), delivery by a skilled birth attendant (=3.32), family planning (=3.12), personal hygiene (=3.46), nutrition and health talks (=3.13) and vitamin A supplementation (=3.69). The ANOVA result showed that there is a significant difference in change in behavior among the women participants of the UNICEF nutrition and health programme in the study area at a 5% alpha level. The paper raised a number of issues on nutrition and health and recommends the inclusion of more rural women to benefit from the programme packages and activities. This is based on the premise that increased food production and development start with a nutritional and healthy life.