The UN Decade of Action on Nutrition 2016-2025
On 1st of April, the General Assembly proclaimed the United Nations Decade of Action on Nutrition, 2016-2025.
UNSCN, together with its members, welcomes this important step towards mobilising action to eradicate malnutrition in all its forms in all countries.
The UN Decade of Action on Nutrition is a commitment of Member States to undertake ten years of sustained and coherent implementation of policies and programmes, following the recommendations and commitments of the ICN2 Framework for Action and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Decade will increase visibility of nutrition action at the highest level and ensure coordination, strengthen multi-sectoral collaboration, create synergies and measure progress towards sustainable food systems and food and nutrition security for all.
Why do we need a UN Decade of Action on Nutrition?
Progress to reduce undernourishment and micronutrient deficiencies has been far too slow and uneven across regions, countries and populations groups. The prevalence of overweight and obesity is increasing in nearly all countries. On the other end, 821 million people remain chronically undernourished, 149 million children under 5 years of age are stunted, over 49.5 million children under 5 years are wasted, over two billion people suffer from micronutrient deficiencies and 2 billion people are affected by overweight (almost a third of adults worldwide) of whom around 678 million are obese.
The resolution recognises the need to eradicate hunger and prevent all forms of malnutrition worldwide.
The UN Decade of Action on Nutrition will provide an umbrella for a wide group of actors to work together to address these and other pressing nutrition issues in order to achieve the goals set out in the 2030 Agenda.
The General Assembly call upon WHO and FAO to lead the implementation of the UN Decade of Action on Nutrition, in collaboration with the World Food Programme, the International Fund for Agricultural Development and the United Nations Childrens Fund, and to identify and develop a work programme, using coordination mechanisms such as UNSCN, the UN System Standing Committee on Nutrition.
Michel Mordasini, former Chair of the UNSCN says “UNSCN stands ready to work along with WHO, FAO in collaboration with IFAD, WFP, UNICEF and other UN agencies, to make the Decade a success!”
Read more:
- Actions & Commitments
- UN Decade on Action on Nutrition Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 1 April 2016
- Report of the Joint FAO/WHO Secretariat on the Second International Conference on Nutrition (ICN2)
- Second International Conference on Nutrition (ICN2)
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