Civil Society Organizations Ally to Combat Malnutrition in PH

Wazzup Pilipinas!

On March 5, 2020, civil society organizations (CSOs) from different regions will convene at Hive Hotel, Quezon City to unify efforts to address malnutrition in the Philippines. This summit is organized by the Scaling-Up Nutrition Civil Society Alliance Philippines (SUN-CSA PH) and Philippine Coalition of Advocates for Nutrition Security, Inc. (PhilCAN), together with the International Institute of Rural Reconstruction (IIRR), in partnership with Inquirer.net, InqPOP, Wazzup Pilipinas, and DZUP. This event hopes to create a collaborative environment where CSOs can align their distinct strategies, programs, and resources with the government’s national nutrition priorities.

CSOs in the Philippines have long been active partners of the government in supporting and contributing to national policies and plans. In this upcoming event, the significant role of CSOs in tackling malnutrition will be highlighted and explored. They will be encouraged to strengthen their projects and programs using the ‘nutrition-sensitive’ lens, where any development intervention is tweaked to contribute to nutrition outcomes. Examples include incorporating water, sanitation, and hygiene in school or community programs to prevent malnutrition-related child death, targeting of the nutritionally vulnerable (pregnant and lactating women, elderly, etc.) as beneficiaries of livelihood projects, improving access to nutritious food in feeding programs, etc.

This event stemmed from a national convention coordinated by the same organizers last August 2019. In that event, nutrition experts from the government, academe, local, and international organizations noted the lack of harmonized efforts among CSOs is hampering successful implementation of national plans that address malnutrition. Through the joint efforts of civil society, government, and the private sector, the Philippines can fight and rise above the prevailing challenges set by malnutrition.

This event is part of the 18-month project of IIRR, in partnership with SUN-CSA PH and NNC, titled “Strengthening capacities of civil society and government stakeholders on nutrition-sensitive programs.” Launched in April 2019, this project is funded by the Scaling-Up Nutrition Pooled Fund Grant.

IIRR is an international NGO with demonstrated capacity in integrating nutrition in food security programs/food-based approaches and in engaging various government agencies. It shares its models and lessons through active engagement in the local and international nutrition community. It is a founding member of Philippine Coalition of Advocates for Nutrition Security, Inc. (PhilCAN), convener of Scaling Up Nutrition- Civil Society Alliance Philippines (SUN CSA PH), and has been actively engaged in SUN Civil Society Network (CSN) activities.

The Scaling-Up Nutrition Movement Civil Society Alliance Philippines (SUN-CSA Ph) is one of the global movers of SUN Movement that takes collective action to attain a world free from malnutrition.



See the link here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1038099209908029/
Civil Society Organizations Ally to Combat Malnutrition in PH

Event in brief

March 5, 2020
Hive Hotel, Quezon City
9AM-1PM
(Press conference: 1 PM onwards)

A gathering of civil society organizations to commit in combating malnutrition through nutrition-sensitive programming.


Organizers

Scaling Up Nutrition-Civil Society Alliance Philippines (SUN-CSA Ph)

Philippine Coalition of Advocates for Nutrition Security, Inc. (PhilCAN)

International Institute of Rural Reconstruction (IIRR)


Why participate?

The media plays a crucial role in putting a spotlight on the significance of CSOs and government working together to fight malnutrition in the country. Media’s engagement can spark public awareness on nutrition issues and provoke critical discussions that can push for better legislative measures. Malnutrition, despite being a public health concern, has long been downplayed in most platforms.

Huge efforts of CSOs to effectively contribute to national nutrition outcomes remain undocumented. This activity will map-out CSOs and their contributions to nutrition outcomes, although limited to the networks of existing organizations.



What stories can be developed?

Successful CSO initiatives that address malnutrition in the country;

Relevance of fighting malnutrition in the face of pandemics and climate change;

Effects of malnutrition to PH’s economic growth;

Status of the PH national nutrition plan as of 2020;

How seemingly non-nutrition programs/projects address malnutrition


Background:

In 2014, the Philippines signed up to the global Scaling-Up Nutrition (SUN), global movement that envisions a world free from malnutrition in all its forms. And three years later (2017) the SUN civil society network in the country- i.e. SUN-Civil Society Alliance Philippines, was established. SUN-CSA Ph envisions that through levelling the understanding of CSOs on the nutrition contributions of their sectoral initiatives, CSOs can better harmonize their initiatives towards common nutrition goals.

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