The UN System Network for Scaling Up Nutrition

Transcription

1 The UN System Network for Scaling Up Nutrition Nancy Walters REACH Global Coordinator UN Network meeting Nairobi, 28 August 2013 Francesco Branca UNSCN Executive Secretary UN Network meeting Nairobi, 28 August 2013

2 The meeting Common understanding: Nutrition situation in Africa SUN Movement UN Network for SUN, its role and functions UN Agencies roles and responsibilities UN collaboration challenges and opportunities Honest assessment: Current collaboration (global, country level) with concrete examples, lessons learnt Group work on expected support needed for joint action, options for UN coordination, responsibilities of UN Network focal point

3 The meeting Learning: nutrition-sensitive agriculture: Lancet series paper on nutrition-sensitive interventions, REACH experience Nutrition-sensitive agriculture: policy analysis, interventions with different sectors (education, health, emergencies) Countries needs and expectations: Countries vision and UN response Clarifications, Q&A,

4 Nutrition-sensitive development Health Agriculture Social protection Education Early childhood development Improve targeting Use conditions to stimulate participation Strengthen nutrition goals and actions Optimisewomen s time

5 Food and agriculture policies can have a greater impact on nutrition if they Increase incentives (and decrease disincentives) for sustainable production, distribution, and consumption of diverse, nutritious and safe foods. 2. Monitor dietary consumption and access to diverse, nutritious, and safe foods 3. Build capacity in human resources and institutions to improve nutrition through the food and agriculture sector, supported with adequate financing 4. Support multi-sectoral strategies to improve nutrition within national, regional, and local government structures 5. Include measures that protect and empower the poor and women

6 Government partners expectations from the UN Network 1. Strong support to nutrition advocacy based on the UN as a very credible voice on key development issues 2. UN agencies to improve and increase their support to multi-sectoralplanning, coordination, monitoring and evaluation 3. Strong focus on capacity building to ensure sustained, country-led reduction of malnutrition 4. Information sharing, documentation and learning 5. UN should coordinate internally so as to speak one language and move in tandem with government

7 UN response 1 : Support advocacy at all levels Develop a case by building the evidence base (Cost of Hunger studies, etc.) Apply pressure at regional and national levels and encourage governments to request assistance Use evidence to position nutrition as a key development goal Request commitment by Heads of Agencies

8 UN response 2 : Support to multi-sectoral planning Apply a nutrition-lens in all programmes Tweak existing programmes to achieve nutrition goals Ensure nutrition is addressed in emergency recovery development continuum Select partners that can help sharpen nutrition focus Reach out to other agencies (UNDP, UN Women) Identify links to other sectors like WASH, Education, ECD, RH, etc. Ensure convergence of intervention packages (to benefit same population at the same time) Improve nutrition indicators and metrics

9 UN response 3 : Develop national capacity Build and support national systems Develop national M&E expertise Support community based approaches and participatory planning Advise governments on warehousing, increasing production, marketing, logistics, etc.

10 UN response 4 : Document and share experiences Learn from the Food Security and Nutrition Clusters on how to include UN and non-un partners Learn from UNAIDS on effective division of labour and inclusion of civil society voices Create a repository/learning platform to disseminate good practices

11 UN response 5 : Improve internal coordination Speak the same language and move in tandem Transcend agency mandates ( leave your hats at the door ) Identify comparative advantages for optimal impact Employ a holistic approach to minimise fragmentation Establish a culture of collaboration rather than thinking of a division of labour

12 Recommendations (1) Joint planning and programming Common approach, joint objectives vis a vis national nutrition needs Using existing UNDAF process, strengthening joint nutrition programming Approach government as one Better communicate joint UN work with SUN processes at country/global level Joint visits with all partners

13 Recommendations (2) Joint advocacy and resource mobilization Support national advocacy efforts as one Approach donors together as one based on govt requests Working together brings more resources Convince donors to fund a common nutrition programme approach Pooled or Basket funding for nutrition?

14 Recommendations (3) Better Together Mechanism UNCT to appoint agency to lead on nutrition at rep and technical level (can rotate) Formalisationof roles and responsibilities at global and country level visa viscommon nutrition programme(lou/mou) Review emergency and development linkages on nutrition Expanding UN Network to include other agencies (UNFPA, UNWomen, WB etc) Expand Facilitation support (REACH or other)

15 Recommendations (4) Capacity development Lack of sufficient nutrition expertise requires training more people Documenting lessons learned and sharing knowledge Need to document what s working, need a platform to share UN support to SUN processes Coherent response to government technical support requests

16 Recommendations (5) Engaged and sustained leadership Results of this meeting to be shared with CDs, RD s and Heads of Agencies (HQ) Followed by formal response by HoAsas to what and how they will demonstrate commitment Bring regional directors together Heads of Agencies (HQ) communicate commitment to Regional and Country management levels and down/out to technical levels

17 Recommendations (6) Accountability Fit UN response within SUN national common results framework Joint monitoring and evaluation Joint framework for shared accountability for nutrition Performance appraisals for coordination UN to report to SUN focal point /govthow they are doing with respect to national priorities

18 The commitments 1. Consolidate and expand REACH for joint country support 2. Consolidate and expand UNSCN for policy harmonization 3. Develop accountability within UN nutrition network 4. Promote and expand joint UN programming

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