• Closing Date: Jun 15, 2023
• Reference: AREU002
• Number of Vacancies: 1
• Salary Range: As per the company salary scale
• Years of Experience: 5 years
• Probation Period: Not Specified
• Contract Duration: 2 months
• Contract Extensible: No
• Minimum Education: Master’s Degree
• Work Type: Part Time
• Gender: Any

Since August 2021, Afghanistan’s level of food insecurity has substantially increased. 95% of Afghans are experiencing food insecurity as of January 2022, up from 81% in August 2021. Currently, more than half of Afghans experience crisis- or emergency-level food insecurity (IPC Phases 3 and 4). The number of people experiencing severe food insecurity at this time is the largest ever seen in the nation. The main causes of hunger in the nation are the collapse of the economy, an increase in food costs and inflation, and drought. They have exacerbated rural Afghans’ already tenuous food security and caused internal displacement. Many Afghan cohorts are currently experiencing food insecurity for the first time. Food insecurity’s negative impacts are made worse by

The health and nutritional status of women (especially pregnant and lactating mothers) and children under the age of five is a concern in this environment. The Nutrition Cluster estimates that 4.7 million children and PLW require treatment for acute malnutrition, notwithstanding the paucity of updated data. According to the World Health Organization standard, 28 out of the country’s 32 provinces have global acute malnutrition prevalence rates that are more than 10%. There is a definite need to stop children and women from becoming malnourished in the first place, even while providing appropriate access to resources to treat acute malnutrition is crucial as a life-saving intervention. Micronutrient supplementation, weight increase throughout pregnancy, and early weight gain are measures that have been shown to reduce malnutrition and improve mother and child health.

Adopting these strategies is severely hampered by the lack of readily available and affordable nutrient-rich meals for families, especially given that PLWs and teenage girls typically pay the greatest nutritional costs within homes. Unfortunately, many Afghan families do not have easy access to the nutritional resources required to maintain PLW and infant and young child (IYC) health because of the severity of food poverty. According to the Fill the Nutrient Gap (FNG) report for Afghanistan released in June 2021, 88% of the population cannot afford a meal high in nutrients since it costs, on average, three times as much as a diet high in energy but low in nutrients. Recent WFP data reveals that Afghan families’ average nutrient consumption has decreased significantly after August 2021.

Although the level of food insecurity in Afghanistan is concerning, there is still room for interventions that go beyond the simple distribution of food and nutritional supplements to address mother and child malnutrition. Prior to the period of time between November and March 2021, when food insecurity was also quite severe, data was available that suggested Afghanistan’s infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices were usually less than ideal, with room for improvement to achieve improved nutrition results. In order to evaluate mothers’ dietary practices during the first 1000 days after a child is born, WFP commissioned a formative study on the prevention of stunting in the Badakhshan province in 2020. The first findings revealed widespread harmful behaviors, such as the widespread use of pre-and post-lacteal feeding, caused by misunderstandings and beliefs about nutrition and domestic power structures.

Duties & Responsibilities

• What are the target audience’s and key influencers’ existing knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) on maternal nutrition and IYCF, including the kinds of food consumed (meal frequency, etc.), and food preparation?
• What are the attitudes, customs, and taboos around food that prevent the target population from following a healthy diet?
• How are pregnancy and lactation disclosures handled at the household and community levels? Who is notified when including but not limited to key HH decision-makers and budget holders?
• What are the main obstacles that healthcare professionals must overcome in order to communicate with and onboard PLWs and households to positive practices? To guide SBC plans, this query should consider elements unique to beneficiaries and said healthcare providers.
• Outside of the household and community, what are the trusted/preferred sources of information on maternal nutrition and IYCF practices, if any (e.g., media, health-care workers, internet, etc.), and which are available?

Job Requirements

• Master’s degree in relevant fields of study such as nutrition studies, medical studies, sociology, and other related fields.
• 5 or more years of research experience especially in dietetics and nutrition studies and programs related to human nutrition, maternal and child nutrition, and overall principles and practices of public health and individual family food problems.
• Excellent English language writing and reporting skills especially writing for and communicating with an audience of national and international policymakers and practitioners.

Submission Guideline

Please apply by sending a CV/resume, a cover letter, and a writing sample/publication to  [email protected].The subject title of your email should be “AREU Consultant.” The closing date for receiving the applications is 15 June 2023. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted. Women are highly encouraged to apply.

Submission Email

[email protected]