Understanding differential reductions in undernutrition among districts in Rwanda through the perspectives of mid‐level and community actors on policy commitment and policy coherence

Understanding the drivers of improvements in child undernutrition at only the national level can mask subnational differences. This paper aimed to understand the contributions of factors in the enabling environment to observed differences in stunting reduction between districts in Rwanda. In 2017, w...

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Autores principales: Iruhiriye, Elyse, Frongillo, Edward A., Olney, Deanna K., Niyongira, Emmanuel, Nanama, Simeon, Blake, Christine E., Rwibasira, Eugene, Mbonyi, Paul
Formato: Journal Article
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: Wiley 2024
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/140540
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author Iruhiriye, Elyse
Frongillo, Edward A.
Olney, Deanna K.
Niyongira, Emmanuel
Nanama, Simeon
Blake, Christine E.
Rwibasira, Eugene
Mbonyi, Paul
author_browse Blake, Christine E.
Frongillo, Edward A.
Iruhiriye, Elyse
Mbonyi, Paul
Nanama, Simeon
Niyongira, Emmanuel
Olney, Deanna K.
Rwibasira, Eugene
author_facet Iruhiriye, Elyse
Frongillo, Edward A.
Olney, Deanna K.
Niyongira, Emmanuel
Nanama, Simeon
Blake, Christine E.
Rwibasira, Eugene
Mbonyi, Paul
author_sort Iruhiriye, Elyse
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Understanding the drivers of improvements in child undernutrition at only the national level can mask subnational differences. This paper aimed to understand the contributions of factors in the enabling environment to observed differences in stunting reduction between districts in Rwanda. In 2017, we conducted 58 semi-structured interviews with mid-level actors (n = 38) and frontline workers (n = 20) implementing Rwanda's multi-sectoral nutrition policy in five districts in which stunting decreased (reduced districts) and five where it increased or stagnated (non-reduced districts) based on Rwanda's 2010 and 2014/15 Demographic and Health Surveys. Mid-level actors are government officials and service providers at the subnational level who represent the frontline of government policy. Interviews focused on political commitment to and policy coherence in nutrition, and contributors to nutrition changes. Responses were coded to capture themes on the changes and challenges of these topics and compared between reduced and non-reduced districts. Descriptive statistics described district characteristics. Political commitment to nutrition was high in both reduced and non-reduced districts. Respondents from reduced districts were more likely to define commitment to nutrition as an optimal implementation of policy, whereas those from non-reduced districts focused more on financial commitment. Regarding coherence, respondents from reduced compared to non-reduced districts were more likely to report the optimal implementation of multi-sectoral nutrition planning meetings, using data to assess plans and progress in nutrition outcomes and integration of nutrition into the agriculture sector. In contrast, respondents from non-reduced districts more often reported challenges in their relationships with national-level stakeholders and nutrition and/or monitoring and evaluation capacities. Enhancing the integration of nutrition in different sectors and improving mid-level actors' capacity to plan and advocate for nutrition programming may contribute to reductions in stunting.
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spelling CGSpace1405402025-12-08T09:54:28Z Understanding differential reductions in undernutrition among districts in Rwanda through the perspectives of mid‐level and community actors on policy commitment and policy coherence Iruhiriye, Elyse Frongillo, Edward A. Olney, Deanna K. Niyongira, Emmanuel Nanama, Simeon Blake, Christine E. Rwibasira, Eugene Mbonyi, Paul child nutrition stunting nutrition policies governance capacity development Understanding the drivers of improvements in child undernutrition at only the national level can mask subnational differences. This paper aimed to understand the contributions of factors in the enabling environment to observed differences in stunting reduction between districts in Rwanda. In 2017, we conducted 58 semi-structured interviews with mid-level actors (n = 38) and frontline workers (n = 20) implementing Rwanda's multi-sectoral nutrition policy in five districts in which stunting decreased (reduced districts) and five where it increased or stagnated (non-reduced districts) based on Rwanda's 2010 and 2014/15 Demographic and Health Surveys. Mid-level actors are government officials and service providers at the subnational level who represent the frontline of government policy. Interviews focused on political commitment to and policy coherence in nutrition, and contributors to nutrition changes. Responses were coded to capture themes on the changes and challenges of these topics and compared between reduced and non-reduced districts. Descriptive statistics described district characteristics. Political commitment to nutrition was high in both reduced and non-reduced districts. Respondents from reduced districts were more likely to define commitment to nutrition as an optimal implementation of policy, whereas those from non-reduced districts focused more on financial commitment. Regarding coherence, respondents from reduced compared to non-reduced districts were more likely to report the optimal implementation of multi-sectoral nutrition planning meetings, using data to assess plans and progress in nutrition outcomes and integration of nutrition into the agriculture sector. In contrast, respondents from non-reduced districts more often reported challenges in their relationships with national-level stakeholders and nutrition and/or monitoring and evaluation capacities. Enhancing the integration of nutrition in different sectors and improving mid-level actors' capacity to plan and advocate for nutrition programming may contribute to reductions in stunting. 2024-07 2024-03-21T13:53:03Z 2024-03-21T13:53:03Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/140540 en Open Access Wiley Iruhiriye, Elyse; Frongillo, Edward A.; Olney, Deanna K.; Niyongira, Emmanuel; Nanama, Simeon; Blake, Christine E.; Rwibasira, Eugene; Mbonyi, Paul. Understanding differential reductions in undernutrition among districts in Rwanda through the perspectives of mid‐level and community actors on policy commitment and policy coherence. Maternal and Child Nutrition 20(3). https://doi.org/10.1111/mcn.13640
spellingShingle child nutrition
stunting
nutrition policies
governance
capacity development
Iruhiriye, Elyse
Frongillo, Edward A.
Olney, Deanna K.
Niyongira, Emmanuel
Nanama, Simeon
Blake, Christine E.
Rwibasira, Eugene
Mbonyi, Paul
Understanding differential reductions in undernutrition among districts in Rwanda through the perspectives of mid‐level and community actors on policy commitment and policy coherence
title Understanding differential reductions in undernutrition among districts in Rwanda through the perspectives of mid‐level and community actors on policy commitment and policy coherence
title_full Understanding differential reductions in undernutrition among districts in Rwanda through the perspectives of mid‐level and community actors on policy commitment and policy coherence
title_fullStr Understanding differential reductions in undernutrition among districts in Rwanda through the perspectives of mid‐level and community actors on policy commitment and policy coherence
title_full_unstemmed Understanding differential reductions in undernutrition among districts in Rwanda through the perspectives of mid‐level and community actors on policy commitment and policy coherence
title_short Understanding differential reductions in undernutrition among districts in Rwanda through the perspectives of mid‐level and community actors on policy commitment and policy coherence
title_sort understanding differential reductions in undernutrition among districts in rwanda through the perspectives of mid level and community actors on policy commitment and policy coherence
topic child nutrition
stunting
nutrition policies
governance
capacity development
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/140540
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