Over Half Million Gaza Women Battle Severe Food Insecurity

Amid the conflict, women’s care burden is increased, their access to services is limited, their health and food security are compromised, and they face higher risks of being subjected to all types of gender-based violence.

The situation is particularly concerning for mothers and adult women, who often prioritize feeding others over themselves and report greater difficulty accessing food compared to men, leading many to skip meals or reduce their intake to ensure their children are fed.

Here are five key facts explaining how food insecurity affects women in Gaza, based on a recent UN Women survey of people across the Gaza Strip¹:

1. Care burden: Women struggle to protect their children’s physical and mental well-being while bearing increased caregiving and domestic responsibilities, particularly in tents and overcrowded households. Seventy-seven per cent of male and female survey respondents reported that caring for children, including feeding and physical care, is primarily a mother’s responsibility.
2. Physical health and weight loss: Food insecurity and malnutrition are widespread in Gaza. Seven out of 10 women interviewed by UN Women reported weight loss in the last 30 days, and more than half experience frequent dizziness.
3. Food assistance: Over 80 per cent of female respondents rely on food assistance as their primary source of food, yet 87.3 per cent believe that food assistance is not distributed fairly based on family size. Previous evidence collected by UN Women suggests that mothers often eat last and least, skipping meals to feed their children. Additionally, 83.5 per cent stated that the assistance did not meet their household needs.
4. Complications in pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum: Pregnant and lactating women face heightened health risks due to insufficient medical care and nutrition. Seventy-six per cent of pregnant women reported anemia, and 99 per cent face challenges accessing necessary nutritional products and supplements, endangering maternal and infant health. Among households with breastfeeding mothers, 55 per cent reported health conditions impeding their ability to breastfeed, and 99 per cent faced challenges securing enough breastmilk, compromising infant survival, growth, and development.
5. Kitchen access and unsafe cooking methods: Only one-third of respondents reported having access to a kitchen where they can cook meals. Additionally, 69 per cent rely on unsafe cooking methods, such as using wood and other waste materials, which increases health risks. Women, who traditionally handle meal preparation, are exposed to hazardous smoke and pollutants, leading to respiratory and other health issues.

“When we were living in Gaza City, because of the war, suddenly we did not have food anymore,” said one 16-year-old girl interviewed as part of UN Women’s survey. “There were no vegetables in the market and no food at all. We had to eat the worst things.”

“For example, white flour was not available; we had to mix wheat flour with animal fodder,” she said. “Since it was the first time for us to eat animal fodder, our stomachs were in pain. Everyone suffered from stomach pain. We had days where there was no food at all, we felt tired and exhausted. Also, there were no hospitals, and some days we could not leave the house because of the bombing.”