Gendered Information Gaps and the Limits of Persuasive Communication in Stunting Prevention in Pasaman Barat

Stunting continues to be a major public health concern in Indonesia, with Pasaman Barat reporting among the highest prevalence rates in the country. Despite sustained communication interventions through posyandu (integrated community health posts), stunting prevention efforts often rest on the assumption that mothers are the primary agents of change. This maternalization of health communication reinforces gendered caregiving norms and structurally as well as culturally marginalizes fathers from participating in discussions on child nutrition. Consequently, the flow of health knowledge becomes uneven, undermining collaborative caregiving and informed decision-making at the household level. This study investigates how persuasive messages related to stunting are received, processed, and interpreted within gendered contexts in rural Pasaman Barat. Findings reveal that most mothers process messages peripherally, influenced more by messenger credibility than by message content. Fathers, on the other hand, remain largely excluded from health sessions due to normative expectations and institutional practices that frame posyandu as a women-only space. This exclusion reproduces patriarchal hierarchies, limits male involvement in caregiving, and perpetuates gendered information gaps. The study calls for a shift toward gender-transformative communication that redefines caregiving as a shared responsibility, integrates male perspectives, and restructures how, when, and by whom messages are delivered. Such an approach is critical not only to improve stunting outcomes but to ensure public health interventions reflect the social realities and gender dynamics of target communities.