Facilitate UN agencies’ coordination in countries

The causes of malnutrition are multifactorial, ranging from disease and illness to food insecurity, inadequate care and feeding practices, an unhealthy household environment, inadequate health services, poverty and gender inequality, among others. Addressing malnutrition, therefore, warrants a coordinated multisectoral response.

2-16 UN entities participate in country-level coordination platforms

related or devoted to nutrition
(UN-Nutrition)

66% of countries had a collective UN nutrition
strategy/agenda/workplan

(UN-Nutrition)

39 countries with joint initiatives

pursued by 2 or more UN agencies
(UN-Nutrition)

While the UN System is inherently multisectoral, coordination is not automatic. Differing mandates among its constituent parts and other factors do not always allow for smooth collaboration. UN-Nutrition provides a platform for UN entities to gather, share information, and harmonize and coordinate nutrition actions in line with the spirit of UN reform.

UN-Nutrition’s niche

The success of the United Nations to deliver on the 2030 Agenda very much hinges upon its unity and effectiveness in countries. UN-Nutrition has made it a priority to facilitate nutrition coordination among UN agencies at the country level.

How?

UN-Nutrition:

Mobilizes

Mobilizes multiple UN agencies in the nutrition arena, whose work supports positive nutrition outcomes;

Offers

Offers guidance and related advisory services on integrating nutrition into strategic UN frameworks, particularly the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF);

Sensitizes

Sensitizes UN Resident Coordinators (UNRCs) and their country teams on how nutrition can drive sustainable development and serve as an entry point for improved multi-sectoral collaboration and partnerships, more broadly;

Capitalizes

Capitalizes on the unique leverage of UNRCs: (1) to foster increased inter-agency collaboration on nutrition; and (2) to amplify common nutrition messaging among the highest echelons of government;

Draws

Draws on ‘tried-and-tested’ analytical tools that identify gaps and overlaps in the nutrition work of UN country teams to inform corrective action and enhance coordination;

Provides

Provides a platform for multidisciplinary and inter-agency dialogue on nutrition to support: (1) joint nutrition advocacy and communications; (2) policy coherence; (3) integrated nutrition planning; (4) collective knowledge management; and (5) joint programming;

Enables

Enables the UN System to speak with one voice in country fora by working with Member Agencies to craft a common narrative on nutrition;

Connects

Connects global-level advocacy and policy with country-level actions, including related knowledge products of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS). UN-Nutrition also lends advice to help bridge UN Food Systems Summit follow-up action, including the implementation of national food systems transformation pathways, with parallel efforts to operationalize N4G commitments; and