The Zero Hunger Challenge emphasizes the importance of strengthening economic

empowerment in support of the Sustainable Development Goal 2 to double small-scale
producer incomes and productivity. The increasing focus on resilient markets can bring
important contributions to sustainable food systems and build resilience. Participation in
market systems is not only a means for people to secure their livelihood, but it also enables
them to exercise agency, maintain dignity, build social capital and increase self-worth. Food
security analysis must take into account questions of gender-based violence and
discrimination in order to deliver well-tailored assistance to those most in need.
WFP’s Nutrition Policy (2017-2021) reaffirms that gender equality and women’s
empowerment are essential to achieve good nutrition and sustainable and resilient
livelihoods, which are based on human rights and justice. This is why gender-sensitive analysis
in nutrition programs is a crucial contribution to achieving the SDGs. The VAM Gender &
The markets Initiative of the WFP Regional Bureau for West and Central Africa seeks to strengthen
WFP and partners’ commitment, accountability, and capacities for gender-sensitive food
security and nutrition analysis in order to design market-based interventions that empower
women and vulnerable populations. The series of regional VAM Gender and Markets Studies
is an effort to build the evidence base and establish a link to SDG 5 which seeks to achieve
gender equality and empower all women and girls.