Hello SUN Movement Secretariat,

We are pleased to provide the latest news and information from the SUN Movement to support you in achieving your nutrition targets.

Please share with others.

ENGAGE

Gender and NutritiON: EmPower the Change

Leading up to the SUN Global Gathering and the Nutrition For Growth Summit, the "Gender and NutritiON: EmPower the Change" webinar series aims to facilitate in-depth discussions and learning between SUN Countries and Networks on gender mainstreaming in nutrition policy and action to help strengthen national nutrition commitments, implementation and accountability. Register here for the first session "Improving nutrition outcomes through nutrition gender-sensitive policies and programmes in Western and Central African countries" taking place on 16 April at 15:00 GMT.

The FAO e-learning academy has recently released two new courses on their free learning platform: "Agrifood system pathways to healthy diets: A stepwise approach" and "Minimum Dietary Diversity for Women". The courses are available to all SUN Partners and they offer certification.

SUN Movement's Pre-WHA77 Briefing

As the Seventy Seventh World Health Assembly (WHA77) approaches, it is crucial to align and collaborate on opportunities to place nutrition at the health discussions. On 23 April, we are honored to have the SUN Coordinator, Ms. Afshan Khan host briefings on key topics related to WHA77.

Celebrating the impact of women inclusion in nutrition activities

The impact of including women in decisions and activities that promotes nutrition is measured by the successes recorded by these entrepreneurs in reaching their nutrition commitments and achieving their goals to continue to ensure that nutritious foods are available, affordable and accessible in the country.

An attestation to this is captured in our conversations with four female entrepreneurs from Africa and Asia.

In their latest podcast series, the N4D team discusses with nutrition leaders from country and global levels how to make international support for country-led nutrition action more coherent and effective. Check out the latest episodes featuring SUN Movement Lead Group and Executive Committee members, as well as SUN Focal Points, and stay tuned for the next episode with our Coordinator, Afshan Khan.

NEWS

Reflecting on critical discussions held at the European Humanitarian Forum (EHF), the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement underscores the urgent need to sustain and intensify efforts to combat the rise in acute malnutrition, particularly wasting among children, women, and other vulnerable populations in countries affected by humanitarian crises. 

The SUN Business Network (SBN) in Benin is poised to launch as a network in mid-2024 with its inaugural strategy in development. The ongoing process of strategy development is crucial, and the primary aim of the exchange and learning visit to Nigeria is to enhance the quality of the current strategy document and leverage Nigeria's successful experiences within the SUN movement. This visit presents an opportunity for the Benin team to glean best practices from SBN Nigeria and its stakeholders concerning the establishment of an SBN, coordination with stakeholders, and supporting SBN members.

RESOURCES

Breast-milk Substitutes and Complementary Foods Marketing Indexes 2024

The Access to Nutrition Initiative is pleased to present the Breast-milk Substitutes (BMS) and Complementary Foods (CF) Marketing Indexes 2024. These Indexes collectively assess the marketing policies and practices of 20 of the largest baby food companies.

Action brief:

Nutrition-sensitive agriculture in Sierra Leone: encouraging the cultivation of orange-fleshed sweet potato

Half a million of children are stunted in Sierra Leone, according to UNICEF, indicating poor nutritional and health status. This has led to a high rate of micronutrient deficiency with Vitamin A, which is essential for healthy growth and development, deficient in about half of children under 5. However, the cultivation of orange-fleshed sweet potatoes as an essential source of micronutrients (particularly for children) is helping farmers diversify their production and thus improve their livelihoods.

Action brief:

Enabling policy environment thanks to fostered coordination in Nigeria

To effectively implement policies and interventions that are aimed at eradicating malnutrition in all its forms in countries, nutrition must be prioritized beyond individual sectors- it will require coordinated effort between various stakeholders. Nigeria has thus developed a coordinated approach to address the nutrition issues across sectors both at national and local levels.

This strategy is outlined clearly in the National Multisectoral Plan of Action for Food and Nutrition, which resulted in the establishment of the National Council on Nutrition in Nigeria.

Send your news and events information to news@scalingupnutrition.org to be published in the SUN Bulletin.

If you've received this newsletter from a different origin, you can subscribe to receive future newsletters by clicking here.

Connect with us!

www.scalingupnutrition.org

Photo credits: FAO, World Bank, DFID, USDA, SBN