ANNEX I. >> Metadata sheets on selected indicators
against Women also stipulates that States Parties shall ensure to women appropriate services in
connection with pregnancy, confinement and the postnatal period, granting free services where
necessary, as well as adequate nutrition during pregnancy and lactation.
The indicator captures efforts by the State in promoting and providing nutrition supplement
programmes and ensuring that vulnerable or undernourished population groups are adequately
covered by such programmes. It is a process indicator related to the “nutrition” attribute of the
right to adequate food. It is also relevant to the right to health (see “proportion of children
covered under public nutrition supplement programmes”, a process indicator under the “child
mortality and health care” attribute).
Method of computation
The indicator is computed as the ratio of the targeted population actually covered by the nutrition
supplement programmes to the total targeted population.
Data collection and source
The main sources of data are national administrative records and household surveys on food
consumption.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) provides country data
series on the proportion of the population below a minimum level of daily dietary consumption.
Periodicity
In general, the indicator based on administrative records is available annually and the indicator
based on household surveys every three to five years.
Disaggregation
The indicator should be disaggregated by sex, age, economic and social situation, ethnicity,
minority, indigenous, colour, language, religion, national or social origin, migrant, disability, and
type of programme. Disaggregation by place of residence (region and rural/urban) is useful in
assessing disparities in the nutritional intake across different regions.
Comments and limitations
WHO cites nutrition as one of the important components affecting health, well-being and even
economic development. Better nutrition is related to improved infant, child and maternal health,
stronger immune systems, safer pregnancy and childbirth, lower risk of non-communicable
diseases (such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease), and longevity. Healthy children learn
better. People with adequate nutrition are more productive and can create opportunities for
gradually breaking the cycles of poverty and hunger.
The population is particularly vulnerable to diseases and health deterioration if not regularly
provided with adequate nutrition intake and essential vitamins. State policies towards
guaranteeing the well-being of the population shall include nutrition supplement policies,
especially for undernourished and specific population groups.
The indicator provides information on steps that may have to be taken by a State in meeting
its obligation to implement the right to adequate food and the right to the highest attainable
standard of health of its population, specifically vulnerable, undernourished population groups.
The indicator is a good measure of the process necessary to support the realization of the right to
adequate food, yet it may not reflect the content and quality of nutrition supplement programmes
and actual implementation of such programmes to ensure full enjoyment of this right. The indicator
focuses on the undernourished population and does not reflect increasing cases of overnutrition
resulting in obesity in some countries. In this case, a separate indicator to address food intake that
is in excess of maximum dietary energy requirements would be desirable.
Examples of provisions relevant to the right to food: Universal Declaration of Human Rights,
art. 25; International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, art. 11; International
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, art. 5 (e); Convention on
the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, arts. 2, 12 (2) and 14 (2) (h);
156 Human Rights Indicators
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