Planning and Development Department, Government of Sindh and United Nations World Food Program (WFP) launched a Secretariat for the Scaling-Up Nutrition (SUN) Initiative at a Ceremony held recently at a local hotel in Karachi.
Speaking as the Chief Guest at the launching ceremony, Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani, Minister for Planning and Development Department, Govt of Sindh said that SUN is a unique movement, presently having 57 member countries across the globe, founded in 2010 on the principle that ‘all people have a right to food and good nutrition’. Under this platform, active participation and support of the UN agencies, civil society, business, academia and donor networks, across multiple sectors, including health, agriculture, planning and education sectors at all levels work together with a focus on a collective effort to improve nutrition.
Stephen Glunin, Acting Director, WFP Pakistan in his remarks said that tackling malnutrition, especially for mothers and children, is one of the greatest challenges facing Pakistan today. It can be done – but only if we all combine our efforts, pull together, work in partnership and prioritize. In a province like Sindh, where two out of three families can’t afford a nutritious diet, there is need to look for solutions at a local level. The SUN secretariat in Karachi is a key step in this direction. He further informed that in the context of the UN Agenda 2030 and the global targets known as the Sustainable Development Goals, WFP Pakistan is committed to supporting the Government of Pakistan at the federal and provincial levels in addressing its food security and nutrition needs. WFP has provided staff, technical support and funding to help set up the SUN Secretariat in Sindh.
Dr. Mubarak Ali sharing his view hoped that through this initiative, the government will improve the state of nutrition in Sindh to such an extent that it will be an eye-opener for all other provinces. It will significantly reduce the menace of malnutrition and stunting.
Mr. Aslam Shaheen, Chief Nutrition/SUN Focal Point, Ministry of Planning, Development & Reforms speaking on Introduction to SUN Movement Global & Pakistan informed that informed that the movement brings together government officials, civil society members, donors, businesses and researchers in a collective effort to improve nutrition. The government of Pakistan joined the Sun movement in January 2013 and agreed to establish a secretariat at both national and provincial levels. Through the Sindh provincial SUN Secretariat will enable the provincial government to plan to scale up nutrition optimally through multi-sectoral and stakeholder coordination.
Speaking on Situation Analysis of Malnutrition in Sindh and Accelerated Action Plan, Dr. Samar Memon, Coordinator Nutrition Planning and Development Department, Govt of Sindh said that in Pakistan, two out of every five (44 percent) children are stunted, meaning they are short for their age due to chronic malnutrition, a condition that has lifelong consequences on physical and mental development. The 2011 National Nutrition Survey showed that half of children under 5 years of age in Sindh are stunted, 40 percent are underweight, and 73 percent of children under age of five are anaemic.
Briefing the participant about SUN Movement Provincial Perspective, Dr. Mazhar Iqbal, Program Policy Officer, SUN Secretariat, Planning and Development Department, Govt of Sindh informed that SUN – an initiative aims to bring together people governments, civil society, the United Nations, donors, businesses and researchers in a collective effort to improve nutrition in the region.
Earlier, Ms. Rehana Ghulam Ali Memon, Secretary (Dev), Planning and Development Department, Govt of Sindh and Muhammad Waseem, Additional Chief Secretary (Dev), Planning and Development Department, Govt of Sindh also spoke on the occasion.
A video documentary on Malnutrition & Stunting/Scaling-Up Nutrition was also played during the launching ceremony.
