Abstract:
Malnutrition remains a significant public health problem in Ethiopia. According to the 2019
Ethiopian Demographic Health Survey (EDHS), nearly 53% of under-five mortality is associated
with malnutrition. Major forms of malnutrition, such as stunting and wasting, are among the
highest in sub-Saharan countries. Although there has been a steady reduction in the prevalence of
stunting and wasting over the last decades, 37% of children under 5 years of age are still stunted,
and 7.2% of them are wasted, according to the 2019 EDHS. The prevalence of both stunting and
wasting is higher than the average for Africa which is 29.1% and 6.4%, respectively. Furthermore,
the prevalence of wasting, together with its devastating effects worsens during emergencies,
requiring immediate nutrition response. Over the years, Ethiopia has experienced several disasters
and man-made emergencies such as drought, floods, locust invasions and conflict, resulting in
internal displacement and damage to crops and animals. These emergencies put children and
mothers at a greater risk of malnutrition, by preventing communities from practicing proper IYCF
behaviors and impeding access to essential health and nutrition services
