Ms. Zabib Musa Loro, South Sudanese women’s rights activist - courtesy

South Sudanese women’s rights activist Zabib Musa Loro is calling for a holistic approach to tackling malnutrition, arguing that gender-based violence (GBV) and food insecurity are deeply linked and must be addressed as a single crisis.

Speaking to Eye Radio in Juba during a training workshop for service providers, Loro emphasized that vulnerability to violence increases during food shortages, while survivors of abuse often face significant barriers when trying to access health and nutrition services.

Loro, through a project in partnership with UNICEF, is working to empower nutrition providers and GBV responders to integrate their services. She noted that conflict within the home over scarce resources often leads directly to poor health outcomes for women and children.

“It is important for us to look at GBV as a cause of malnutrition in families and children,” Loro said. “We see that children go to the streets because they lack food at home or because their parents cannot provide. We also see that the struggle for food pushes women and children into situations where they are abused.”

She highlighted a common household challenge where, even when aid is provided, it may not reach the intended recipient. “A woman can report her malnourished child so she can get a service, but then the porridge given to the baby is eaten by the father,” she added.

The ongoing initiative focuses on practical ways to merge protection and health. This includes training staff to identify GBV risks, strengthening referral pathways to ensure survivors receive legal or psychological support, and maintaining strict confidentiality within nutrition centers.

Loro warned that children are particularly vulnerable to sexual exploitation when families are desperate for food. She noted that children are often abused by individuals offering “small eats” or snacks in exchange for access.

The activist’s call to action aligns with findings from UNICEF, which indicate that intimate partner violence contributes directly to stunting, wasting, and low birth weight in children. Maternal stress and neglect, often stemming from an abusive environment, result in poor nutritional outcomes for infants.

Furthermore, harmful cultural practices—such as withholding food as a form of punishment or forcing young girls into early marriages to gain livestock or dowry—continue to drive malnutrition rates across the country.

The Ministry and its partners aim to create safe, supportive environments within nutrition centers to encourage affected individuals to seek help for both their physical health and their personal safety.