Malnutrition and the role of civil society

Addressing malnutrition is an area where the civil society in India has not been able to make a mark. The failure has been comprehensive- at the ground level- in the supply side-it has not been able to demand accountability form the service providers- the Anganwadi workers, from the ANMs, etc. In the demand side- it has also not been able to mobilize communities to generate the demand for the services in a meaningful way. At the level of advocacy, it has not been able to take up the issue and raise it at the international levels as it has done so successfully in the case of HIV and AIDS.

In some cases, through Safe Motherhood and Child Survival (SMCS) Programs supported by international aid agencies like the USAID, NGOs have undertaken Integrated Child and Development Services type activities. But as in ICDS, the emphasis has been on the inputs, documentation of the services provided, without much effort to capture, analyze and understand impacts.

What is the role of the civil society that is represented by NGOs in ensuring that the children get adequate nutrition? Is it running programs (often parallel programs) as contractors or sub contactors of the government or international agencies? Should the civil society not be a catalyst of change in bringing accountability and responsiveness to this essential service? Most importantly, is it a question of capabilities of the civil society or its intent?

-Ipsita Basu