The UN and NGO communities, represented by WFP, UNICEF, CARE, Catholic Relief Services and Caritas reiterated their concern that the food and nutrition security of women and children is not being given adequate attention in the aftermath of the earthquake. The normal coping mechanisms area lready thinly stretched by two-years of drought. Consequently, the nutritional status of these vulnerable populations is likely to continue to deteriorate.

The special nutritional needs of women and children, which are normally addressed by social safety net programs such as the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS), are not being met. Most of the ICDS centers have been destroyed or are severely damaged, and other safety net structures are not functioning optimally. General distribution of food rations through the Public Distribution System and community kitchens is not a substitute. The general food ration does not meet the special nutritional requirements of young children and expectant and nursing women.

Aggravating the already fragile nutritional situation of women and children is the ongoing two-year drought. The earthquake has further disrupted access to household livelihoods, food supplies and income generation opportunities. The loss of income has exacerbated the ability of families to gain access to adequate quality and quantity of food. In rural districts close to the epicentre, food insecurity and malnutrition of households is among the highest in the state, even in normal years. More than 50% of children in the area are suffering from malnutrition, with high prevalence of anemia. In most instances, the poorest rural families are completely dependent on the ICDS system or other assistance structures for supplementary nutrition.

However, the ICDS system in the most affected districts has not been able to resume normal operations. This has left an estimated 1.5 million women and children, who are the most nutritionally vulnerable members of rural communities, without supplementary nutritional support. Specialized high protein and micronutrient rich foods are required for vulnerable groups in order to maintain and sustain nutritional levels and to address the prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies (vitamin A and iron deficiency).

In the meantime, UNICEF is supplying family relief kits that allows families to prepare their own food and improve their capacity to meet nutritional needs. The UN system under the leadership of the World Food Programme and UNICEF, in collaboration with NGO partners including CARE, Catholic Relief Services and CARITAS are working together to meet the special nutritional needs of poor rural women and children in the five most affected districts of Gujarat. This effort is deemed critical to prevent the nutritional status of women and children from further deteriorating.