A participatory nutrition causal analysis and operational research on WASH and nutrition interaction

Defined by UNICEF as “the outcome of insufficient food intake and repeated infectious diseases“ under-nutrition is one of the world’s most serious problems with direct short and long-term health effects. A growing base of evidence showing the links between water, sanitation and hygiene conditions and health indicate that WASH1 environment can be critical in shaping children’s nutritional outcomes. The evidence regarding the consequences of poor WASH conditions (especially exposure to poor sanitation) on low height for age- stunting is particularly strong, whereas the effects of WASH interventions on low weight for height – wasting, together with the impact of Environmental Enteric Dysfunction2 on under-nutrition are still to be explored. By conducting series of studies and research projects, ACF (1) is playing an active role in narrowing down the existing knowledge and evidence gap on WASH and nutrition interaction. ACF also promotes a Link-NCA3 methodology, used to analyze the complex, dynamic, locally-specific causes of under-nutrition, including WASH related one.