The Papuan Child as a Survivor

Notes on Ecologic Malnutrition in the New Guinea Highlands

“…Alternatively, food may be barbecued in the ashes of a fire.No kitchen equipment, apart from gourds and bamboo segments for carrying water are available traditionally, although in recent years many households are acquiring a metal boiling-pot.Basically, the diet of the New Guinea Highlander is made up of solid foods, is low in protein (even of vegetable origin), and is almost devoid of fat. It seems particularly unsuitable for young children.1,13,18 Infant Feeding. In the New Guinea Highlands, breast feeding is the mainstay of infant nutrition, so much so that, according toOomen and Malcolm, in some circumstances a newborn baby may be buried with a mother who died in childbirth unless a suitable lactating relative is available,.13 As in other parts of the world, including West Africa and India, the composition of the breast milk of poorly nourished mothers has shown to be within normal limits as far as protein is concerned,18 There may be a significant output of milk even after two or three years of lactation.Oomen and Malcolm report a 12-hour yield of 125 ml.…”

Some nutritional aspects of the Philippine Tasaday diet

“…For example in New Guinea, Bailey (1963) estimated protein intakes to be approximately 50 percent of requirements at all ages. Oomen (1961) observed, also, the low protein and energy intakes of pregnant and lactating women; these were about 50 percent of the estimated requirements. Hipsley and Kirk (1965) in New Guinea also found that estimates of energy expenditure exceeded those of intake.…”

Local authorities, poverty and the implementation of human rights norms

“…104 Another feature of human rights cities is that they can use human rights law and discourse to challenge policies adopted at the state or national levels. 105 Such defiance arises concerning issues relating to poverty, with one example pointing (perhaps surprisingly) to the relevance of civil and political rights. In 2001, the same year that the City of Graz in Austria declared itself a human rights city, it began rallying local civil society organisations and academics against a law that established a general ban on begging in the State of Styria.…”