PMRC launches malnutrition study.
THE Policy Monitoring and Research Centre has launched study on malnutrition among children with disabilities in Zambia.
Speaking during the launch Minister of Community Development and Social Services Kampamba Chewe said that according to the 2015 survey 4.4 per cent of children aged two to 17 were living with disability.
Ms Chewe said that disability rates were found to be higher in urban areas, and that in terms of gender there more females with a disability than males.
She explained that government attaches great importance to the welfare of children and endeavors to provide an
enabling environment in the best interest of the child.
Ms Chewe observed that the launch of the study was an important tool to enable government and other stakeholders respond to challenges of nutrition.
She also said that evidence has shown that nutrition sensitive social protection programs can successfully contribute to the reduction of malnutrition adding that the ministry of Community Development is implementing the social cash transfer programme which presents a unique opportunity to use social protection as a platform to improve chronic malnutrition and stunting in Zambia.
And PMRC executive director Bernadette Zulu said that it is not secret that in Zambia and world over, differently abled persons especially children face stigma, discrimination and are often deprived of full participation in society.