ABSTRACT

The study evaluated the effects of UNICEF-Assisted Nutrition and Health Programme for rural women and children in South-East geo-political zone of Nigeria. The study determined among others, level of participation of women in the programme, nutritional status of the U5 children and the effectiveness of the programme in meeting set targets. Purposive and multi-stage random sampling techniques were employed in the selection of the sample size of two hundred and eighty-eight (288) participants from three out of the five states in the Zone (namely; Abia, Ebonyi and Enugu states) for the study. Structured questionnaire were used to elicit relevant information from the participants. The data collected were analyzed using mean scores, Body Mass Index (BMI), Mid Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC), Correlation coefficient, Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Ordinary Least Squares regression (OLS). Results showed that the perception of the women participants of the programme was positive in nutrition package ( =3.13). On a 4point scale, it was nutrition informative. The level of participation of the women in the programme activities was high ( =3.16). The nutritional status of the U5 children participants showed that they were well nourished (15.34cm MUAC). It was revealed that there were positive behavioural changes in the women participants ( =3.17), the women sleeping under insecticide treated bed nets everyday with their children ( =3.59) and making of dietary plans for their families daily ( =3.19). The result also showed that the programme activities were effective and beneficial to the participants ( =2.23) on a benchmark of 2.00. The constraints affected the participants’ effective participation in the programme activities. The constraints included lack of awareness of the programme and its activities ( =3.38) and inadequate health and nutrition personnel ( =3.22) among others.  The t-test of correlation coefficient of significant relationship indicated that there was a positive significant relationship between the rural women’s nutrition perception of the programme activities and their level of participation at 5% alpha level. The OLS regression estimate shows that the participation of U5 children in UNICEF-Assisted nutrition and health programme activities had significant effect on their nutritional status at 5% alpha level. The ANOVA test using DNMRT shows that there was a significant difference in the mean level of change in behaviour among the women participants of the programme in South-east states at 5% alpha level. The ANOVA test using DNMRT shows that there was significant difference in the perceived effectiveness of UNICEF-Assisted nutrition and health programme activities across the South-east states at 5% alpha level. The OLS regression estimate of relationship between constraints to effective participation of women and children U5 in the UNICEF-Assisted nutrition and health programme activities and their participation was significant and positively related at 5% alpha level. The study concluded that the programme was effective. It was therefore recommended that more efforts be made by donor agencies at improving women’s BMI (nutritional status).