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Commitment to scaling up nutrition is coming from the highest level of government. Prime Minister H.E. Sheikh Hasina serves as a member of the SUN Movement Lead Group. The convening body for nutrition in the country, the Steering Committee for Nutrition led by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), incorporates representation from 10 government ministries, United Nations agencies, donors, business, academic and technical institutions and the Nutrition Working Group. It is chaired by the Senior Secretary, MoHFW. The SUN Focal Point is Mr Shafiqual Islam Laskar, Additional Secretary in the MoHFW who was selected in June 2012. He receives technical support from the National Nutrition Services within the MoHFW.Dr. Mustafizur Rahman, Program Manager for the National Nutrition Services has been identified as the lead technical specialist and assists the SUN Focal Point with in-country coordination of efforts to scale up nutrition. Dr. Rahman is helping to facilitate the efforts of technical specialists working across those sectors critical to nutrition to:

• Contribute to the implementation of the National Nutrition Services operational plan;
• Explore and understand the multi-sectoral nature of nutrition and complex governance requirements; and
• Advance efforts on consensus building, collaboration of efforts to improve effective multi-sectoral implementation and enhance nutritional impact of government programs and policies.

The SUN Government Focal Point, in consultation with cross-sector, national level stakeholders, has identified three priority commitments to advance progress for scaling up nutrition in the 12 months up to September 2013:

1. Jointly launch the SUN Movement at the national level, in collaboration with all stakeholders (government, civil society, business, United Nations and development partners);
2. Encourage scale-up of comprehensive nutrition packages for women, infants and young children, focusing on the 1,000 days from pregnancy though age two; and
3. Further strengthen working linkages with all relevant sectors.

Other focus areas to support progress for scaling up nutrition have been identified:

Focus: Increase cooperation among ministries.

Way Forward: Strengthen existing institutional arrangements to improve collaboration and effective policy implementation by increasing engagement of high-level national and sub-national stakeholders and elevating and maintaining existing high-level committees, bodies and institutional arrangements.

Focus: Increase capacity in skills, technology and human resources.

Way Forward: Strengthen training and capacity for monitoring and implementation of policies and action plans in order to support achievement of policy outcomes by increasing involvement of relevant United Nations agencies, civil society organisations, technical and research institutions.

Focus: Improve market linkages across the supply chain.

Way Forward: Develop and improve infrastructure facilities across the supply chain, transfer of technologies and skilled human resources capacity by facilitating collaboration among government, United Nations agencies, technical and research institutions business and civil society organisations.

Focus: Identify ‘nutrition champions’ in addition to the Prime Minister and Head of BRAC who are both members of the SUN Lead Group.

Focus: Develop an advocacy and communications strategy for nutrition.

Focus: Improve human resource capacity in order to effectively implement nutrition interventions at the community level, including increased training among government staff and civil society organisations.

Focus: Enable interested civil society organizations, especially at the sub-national level, to engage in scaling up nutrition.

Focus: Increase availability of resources and equipment to support community-level nutrition interventions, including scales and height boards.

Focus: Develop a strategy to address nutrition challenges in urban areas.

Focus: Explore opportunities for engagement of the private sector in relation to corporate social responsibility and in improving the nutritional content of processed foods.

Civil Society Alliance for SUN

The Civil Society Alliance for Scaling Up Nutrition in Bangladesh (CSA for SUN, BD) has been formed and was launched in October 2012. The Alliance is convened through BRAC and is composed of representatives from civil society networks across the country to work in support of the government, to advocate for the further development of the national nutrition agenda and ultimately improve the lives of malnourished people across the country. Dr. Rukhsana Haider, Chair of the CSA for SUN, BD, has stressed the need for coordinated efforts to scale up nutrition interventions. The CSA for SUN, BD receives financial support through the SUN Multi-Partner Trust Fund.

The CSA for SUN, BD launch ceremony in October 2012 was attended by 165 participants, including high-level government officials and representatives from United Nations agencies, civil society organisations, academia, media and others.

The launch of the CSA for SUN, BD prompted promises and commitment to promote a coordinated multi-sectoral approach to boost the scaling up of nutrition activities and programmes in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh Civil Society Network for Promoting Nutrition

The Network is convened by A. K. M. Nurun Nabi, Professor of Population Science Department of Dhaka University, The Bangladesh Civil Society Network for Promoting Nutrition (BCSNPN) was formed and launched in October 2012 to work as a nutritional pressure-group in Bangladesh and to support scaling up nutrition by promoting appropriate nutrition behavior, practices and services through an integrated approach. Learn more about the launch of BCSNPN.

Objectives of the BCSNPN aim to:

• Sensitize policy makers for scaling up nutrition in all relevant policies;
• Persuade government, developmental partners, private sector agencies and other stakeholders to increase investment in nutrition as an essential development agenda;
• Disseminate evidence based best practices for adaptation and action;
• Advocate for revisiting and revitalizing the National Plan of Action for Nutrition (NPAN)-1997, revitalize the National Nutrition Council and to support HPNSDP program;
• Link up with all global efforts on nutrition; and
• Utilize media as a tool to create awareness among mass people regarding improving nutrition and prevent malnutrition.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the World Bank are acting as co-conveners for the donor community. They engage with the multi-stakeholder platform through Local Consultative Groups focusing on health, food security, agriculture and rural development, social protection and disaster risk reduction.

Development partners provide funding and technical support through joint programmes and engagement with the government in various sectors. Since the country joined the SUN Movement, there are indications of greater donor alignment and coordination behind national plans and programmes in Bangladesh, including:

• Health Sector Development Programme Financing Agreement;
• Food security programmes; and
• Global Agriculture and Food Security Programme.

The Nutrition Working Group provides a separate platform for collaboration among the donor community and other development partners. The informal working group consists of 40 plus members from United Nations agencies, donor organisations, civil society and the government (by invitation). It is currently co-chaired by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and Micronutrient Initiative (MI).

REACH (Renewed Effort Against Child Hunger and Undernutrition) is currently facilitating United Nations (UN) coordination and the REACH Action Plan for 2011-2012 for Bangladesh is being updated. The United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) 2012-2016 is in place to guide strategic enhancement and cohesion in the UN system’s response to support the government in achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and its national priorities as articulated in various plans.

The REACH Partnership

Through the REACH partnership, established in 2009 by World Food Programme (WFP), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Health Organization (WHO), UN partners are working towards increased support for the core sectors of food, agriculture and health through multi-sectoral mechanisms and integrated interventions to accelerate progress towards Millennium Development Goal 1 (MDG-1).

REACH is promoting the scaling-up of interventions with a focus on five priority nutrition areas related to food security, health and care. The partnership is supported by academic research and evidence from the field.

REACH, through the UN country teams, encourages and supports government and civil society partners to analyze the nutritional situation in the country, assess and map stakeholder involvement in nutrition to identify gaps and opportunities to fill these gaps and address nutrition problems.

UN Development Assistance Framework

The UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) 2012-2016 was designed to strategically enhance the coherence of the UN system response to support the Government of Bangladesh in achieving the MDGs and its national priorities as articulated in the Outline Perspective Plan of Bangladesh 2010 – 2021 (Making Vision 2021 A Reality) and the Sixth Five-Year National Development Plan. The UNDAF 2012 – 2016 will be complemented under the UNDAF Action Plan, which is the UN system’s common UNDAF operational plan.

UN agencies providing financial and technical assistance for national plans that are nutrition-specific and/or nutrition-relevant include:

• UNICEF (funding and technical assistance);
• WFP (funding and technical assistance);
• FAO (specialized technical assistance and support);
• WHO (specialized technical assistance and support);
• United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) (funding and technical assistance);
• United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) (funding and technical assistance); and
• REACH (overall facilitation mechanism).

Since Bangladesh joined the SUN Movement, there are indications of progress in UN system alignment and coordination behind national plans and programs:

• REACH is being implemented through a common strategy of four UN agencies within the SUN Framework to demonstrate a viable, integrated model using Satkhira as a pilot district;
• REACH is working towards putting in place a joint multi-sectoral mechanism based on existing institutional arrangements with the government, thus giving legitimacy to the joint interventions in a larger context;
• A REACH Action Plan 2011 -2012 is being prepared and updated; and
• The UNDAF Annual Progress Report 2012 has been produced.

Various technical and research institutions are coming together to collaborate and share research findings and learning on key nutrition related topics. Technical and research institutions involved in scaling up nutrition include:

• Institute of Nutrition and Food Science, Dhaka University;
• International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh;
• Bangladesh Institute of Research and Rehabilitation in Diabetes, Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders;
• Bangladesh Rice Research Institute;
• Bangladesh Agricultural University;
• BRAC University;
• Institute of Child and Mother Health;
• Mohammadpur Training & Fertility Center;
• Institute of Food Science and Technology;
• Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institute;
• Jahangir Nagar University;
• American International University, Bangladesh;
• Institute of Home Economics;
• Bangladesh Institute of Health Services;
• National Institute of Population Research and Training; and
• Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute.

Collaboration among technical and research institutions has led to:

• Food security research and strategic policy support, encompassing food availability, food access and nutrition;
• Research on key nutrition topics identified by the government such as infant and young child feeding;
• Establishment of a desirable dietary pattern for Bangladesh;
• Updated Bangladesh food composition tables and total diet study and assessment of safety of foods; and
• Technical knowledge and capacity building among civil society and government providers on infant and young child feeding and hand washing through collaboration with civil society.

The business community platform, known as the Federation of Chambers of Commerce,engages with the SUN Government Focal Point and other SUN stakeholders. Since Bangladesh has joined the SUN Movement, efforts to align the business sector behind national plans have led to:

• Progress on fortification of staple foods, including flour fortified with iron and vegetable oil fortified with vitamin A; and
• The establishment of a food research institution in the Institution of Public Health.

The government has endorsed its own private-public partnerships policy and several organisations have public-private partnerships with the government to support implementation of nutrition projects. These include the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), Project Laser Beam, the National Food Fortification Alliance and the Vegetable Oil Refineries Association. These groups are all engaged through regular meetings and consultation in support of national scale-up plans that are nutrition-specific and/or nutrition-relevant.

The government is currently working to update the national nutrition policy and plan of action. Currently, a number of specific policies are place relating to infant and young child feeding, micronutrient provisions and therapeutic treatment for severely malnourished children.

National Food Safety and Quality Policy and Plan of Action Review of Food Safety and Quality Related Policies in Bangladesh 2012 DRAFT

Responsible Body: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

Health Population & Nutrition Sector Development Programme 2011-2016

Responsible Body: Planning wing of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

Objective: Stimulation of demand and improvement of access to and utilization of Health Population and Nutrition services in order to reduce morbidity and mortality; and reduce population growth rate and improve nutritional status, especially of women and children.

National Communication Framework and Plan of Action on Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) 2010

Responsible Body: Institute of Public Health and Nutrition – Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

Objective: Component of national IYCF strategy, which aims to improve nutritional status, growth and development, health, and survival of infants and young children in Bangladesh through optimal IYCF practices.

Download Plan ▶

National Guidelines for Management of Severely Malnourished Children in Bangladesh 2008

Responsible Body: Institute of Public Health Nutrition, Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

Objective: Provides guidance for doctors, senior nurses and other senior health professionals responsible for inpatient therapeutic care of severely malnourished children in health facilities. National guidelines are based on the global guidelines of the World Health Organization, which have been adapted, where necessary, to the context of Bangladesh.

National Strategy for Anemia Prevention and Control in Bangladesh 2007

Responsible Body: Institute of Public Health and Nutrition, Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

Objective: Reduction of anemia in high-risk groups by one-quarter by 2015.

Indicator: Anemia prevalence

National Strategy on Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) 2007

Responsible Body: Institute of Public Health and Nutrition and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

Objective: To improve the nutritional status, growth and development, health and survival of infants and young children through optimal IYCF practices.

Indicators: Early initiation of breastfeeding, exclusive breastfeeding, continued breastfeeding and appropriate complementary feeding.

National Food and Nutrition Policy 1997

Responsible Body: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in collaboration with Bangladesh National Nutrition Council

Objective: To significantly improve the nutritional status of the people, particularly vulnerable groups and thereby contribute to the improvement in the quality of life in the socio-economic development.

Indicators: Per capita energy intake, moderate and severe malnutrition, iodine deficiency disorder, night blindness, low birth weight, etc.

National Plan of Action on Nutrition 1997

Responsible Body: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in collaboration with Bangladesh National Nutrition Council

Objective: To improve the nutritional status of the people of Bangladesh to the extent that malnutrition would no longer be a public health problem by the year 2010, thereby, improving the quality of life.

Indicators: Key consumption, health and nutrition indicators

There is some national legislation in place on food fortification and food safety. Many provisions for the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes (BMS) have been enshrined in law covering the age range 0-24 months. The maternity protection law ensures maternity leave of 24 weeks, which exceeds the minimum recommended length of leave of 14 weeks set by the International Labour Organization (ILO).

Implementation Code of the Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes DRAFT 2012

Objective: Will adopt many provisions of the International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes into law (scope of the code: 0-24 months).

The Breast-Milk Substitutes (Regulation of Marketing) Ordinance 1984, Amended as Act in 1990 (will be replaced by above Implementation Code when passed)

Objective: Promotes breastfeeding by regulating the marketing of breast-milk substitutes.

Maternity Protection Law (Government Notification on amendment of Bangladesh Service Rules) 2011

Objective: Ensures six months paid maternity leave for public sector employees, which exceeds the minimum recommended length of leave of 14 weeks set by the International Labour Organization.

The Prevention of Iodine Deficiency Diseases Act 1989

Objective: Ensures universal iodization of salt.

Food Safety Ordinance (Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution) 1985

Objective: Provides the legal basis for ensuring safety of foods as well as monitoring it and providing corrective measures.

The Bangladesh Pure Food (Amendments) Act 2005

Adequate health is a cornerstone for ensuring good nutrition. Policies that protect women and children from disease, and provide timely and appropriate treatment, are essential for improving nutrition. Good health allows women and children to have an appetite for nutritious food and to be able to absorb the nutrients they need.

In addition to nutrition-specific policies, other important policies are in place to protect the health of children and their mothers that can also help to protect their nutritional status:

National Health Policy, 2011

Responsible Body: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

National Neonatal Health Strategy and Guidelines for Bangladesh, 2009

Responsible Body: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

Strategic Plan for Surveillance and Prevention of Non-Communicable Diseases in Bangladesh, 2007

Responsible Body: Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW)

Aligning national development policies and programs with key nutrition outcomes can increase a country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by at least 2-3% annually and help break the cycle of poverty that can trap families and nations.

Sixth Five-Year Plan 2011-2015

Responsible Body: Planning Commission, Ministry of Planning

Objective: Accelerating growth and reducing poverty.

Policies aimed at strengthening agricultural development and increasing food security are essential components to scaling up nutrition. These policies ensure that nutritious food is affordable and accessible to everyone and empower small farmers to lift families and communities out of poverty.

Bangladesh Country Investment Plan: A road map towards investment in agriculture, food security and nutrition, 2010 (updated 2011)

Responsible Body: Food Planning and Monitoring Unit, Ministry of Food and Disaster Management

Objective: Provides a coherent set of priority investment programmes (12 at this stage) to improve food security and nutrition in an integrated way.

View Policy Document

National Food Policy Plan of Action, 2008

Responsible Body: Food Planning and Monitoring Unit, Ministry of Food and Disaster Management

Objective: To ensure, in coordination with partner ministries, development partners and non-governmental organisations dependable and sustained food security for all people of Bangladesh at all times.

View Policy Document

National Food Policy, 2006

Responsible Body: Ministry of Food and Disaster Management

Objective: To ensure adequate and stable supply of safe and nutritious food, to enhance purchasing power of the people for increased food accessibility and to ensure adequate nutrition for all.

National Agriculture Policy Plan of Action, 2004

Responsible Body: Ministry of Agriculture

National Agriculture Policy, 1999

Responsible Body: Ministry of Agriculture

National Fisheries and Livestock Policy, 1998

Responsible Body: Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock

Objective: Seeks to enhance fisheries production, achieve poverty alleviation through creating self-employment and improvement of socioeconomic conditions of fishermen and women; and fulfill the demand for animal protein.

National Agriculture Extension Policy and Plan of Action, 1995-2010

Responsible Body: Ministry of Agriculture

Children who are well nourished are able to concentrate and learn better at school. There is convincing evidence for a strong link between the level of a mother’s education and her child’s nutritional status. Policies that promote strong linkages between nutrition and education can play a key role in advancing overall efforts to improve nutrition outcomes.

Education Policy in Bangladesh, 2010

Responsible Body: Ministry of Education

Social protection policies can help tackle both the immediate and underlying causes of malnutrition by reducing vulnerability, protecting productive assets, ensuring basic needs can be met and securing access to a nutritious diet, particularly in times of crisis or instability.

National Social Welfare Policy, 2005

Responsible Body: Ministry of Social Welfare

The Government has renewed its efforts to deliver nutrition-specific interventions. Under the Government’s Health, Population and Nutrition Sector Development Program 2011-2016, nutrition has been mainstreamed into the health sector. The National Nutrition Services in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare delivers a comprehensive nutrition package through the community clinics as the first point of contact with the health system at upazila, district and tertiary levels.

Health Population and Nutrition Sector Development Program 2011-16

Programme delivery system: Health and Family Planning service delivery system

Ministry in Charge: Ministry of Health & Family Welfare

Other involved ministries and Government Departments: 

Ministries of Agriculture, Food & Disaster Management, Education, Fisheries & Livestock, Industries, Women & Children Affairs, Local Government and Rural Development; Information

Expected Outcomes:

• Improved access to and utilization of essential health, population and nutrition services, particularly by the poor; and
• Mainstreaming nutrition in all service delivery points through the regular channels of the Directorate General of Health Services and the Directorate General of Family Planning.

Financial and technical partners (contributing through Government budgetary instruments):

European Union (EU), UNICEF, Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, World Bank, UK Department for International Development (DFID), Australian Government Overseas Aid Programs (AUSAID), United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Asian Development Bank (ADB), World Food Programme (WFP), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA), German Organization for Technical Cooperation (GTZ)

Financial and technical partners (providing direct contribution; off-Government budget)

CARE, World Vision, Save the Children, Unilever, FHI-360, Helen Keller International (HKI), Alive & Thrive, ICDDR,B, PLAN, Concern Worldwide, Action Against Hunger (ACF), BRAC, Eminence, Micronutrient Initiative (MI), TAHN Foundation

National Nutrition Services (2011-16)

(Under the Health Population and Nutrition Sector Development Program)

Ministry in Charge: Ministry of Health & Family Welfare

Expected Outcomes:

• Mainstreaming nutrition in all service delivery points through the regular channels of the Directorate General of Health Services and the Directorate General of Family Planning;
• Reduction of the prevalence of malnutrition among the people of Bangladesh with special emphasis on the children, women, adolescents and underprivileged section of the society; and
• Expand training of staff on management of severe malnutrition from 25% of the health facilities to 50% by June 2013.

Maternal, Neonatal child and Adolescent Health Care 2011-16

(Under the Health Population and Nutrition Sector Development Program)

Ministry in Charge: Ministry of Health & Family Welfare

Expected Outcomes:

• Improved maternal, newborn & child health (MNCH) status of the population in Bangladesh through increased coverage and utilization of the quality MNCH services at facility and community level; and
• Mainstreaming of nutrition services.

Maternal Child Reproductive Adolescent Health (2011-16)

(Under the Health Population and Nutrition Sector Development Program)

Ministry in Charge: Ministry of Health & Family Welfare

Expected Outcomes:

• Deliver quality safe motherhood, child and reproductive health services along with family planning to reduce the maternal mortality and morbidity, neonatal mortality and improve other reproductive and adolescent health care services.

Community Based Health Care 2011-16

(Under the Health Population and Nutrition Sector Development Program)

Ministry in Charge: Ministry of Health & Family Welfare

Expected Outcomes:

• Ensure health, family planning and nutritional services from the community clinics for all rural people.

Universal salt iodization and fortification of edible oil with vitamin A

Programme delivery system:  Market system

Ministry in Charge: Ministry of Industry

Other Involved Ministries and Government Departments:  Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Ministry of Information, Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution

Expected Outcomes:

• Adequate micro-nutrient status achieved for all individuals especially women and children.

Financial and technical partners (contributing through Government budgetary instruments): Micronutrient Initiative, UNICEF, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Financial and technical partners (providing direct contribution; off-Government budget)

BRAC

Under the Health Population and Nutrition Sector Development Program (2011-2016) a comprehensive package of nutrition programmes are mainstreamed into the health sector through The National Nutrition Services in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Health sector nutrition programmes focus on delivering a package of nutrition-specific interventions through the community clinics as the first point of contact with the health system at upazila, district and tertiary levels. View a full list of nutrition-specific programs here.

Aligning national development policies and programs with key nutrition outcomes can increase a country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by at least 2-3% annually and help break the cycle of poverty that can trap families and nations.

Currently, no programmes have been identified in the development sector that pertain specifically to nutrition.

Programmes aimed at strengthening agricultural development and increasing food security are essential components to scaling up nutrition. These programmes ensure that nutritious food is affordable and accessible to everyone and empower small farmers to lift families and communities out of poverty.

Sustainable and diversified agriculture through integrated research and extension

Programme delivery system: Agriculture Extension System

Ministry in Charge: Ministry of Agriculture

Other Involved Ministries and Government Departments: Ministry of Fisheries, Local Government Rural Development

Expected Outcomes:

• Productivity is enhanced, food production is diversified and resilience to climate change is increased through effective generation and propagation of sustainable technical solutions.

Financial and technical partners (contributing through Government budgetary instruments): USAID, UK Department for International Development (DFID), United Nations Development Programme, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)

Financial and technical partners (providing direct contribution; off-Government budget)

BRAC

Fisheries and Aquaculture Development

Programme delivery system: Fisheries extension system

Ministry in Charge:  Ministry of Fisheries and livestock

Other Involved Ministries and Government Departments: Ministry of Agriculture, Local Government Rural Development

Expected Outcomes:

• Sustainable increase of fishery production through improved technology and natural resources management.

Financial and technical partners (contributing through Government budgetary instruments): Asian Development Bank, United National Development Programme, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)

Financial and technical partners (providing direct contribution; off-Government budget)

World Fish Center

Livestock development, with a focus on poultry and dairy production

Programme delivery system: Livestock extension system

Ministry in Charge: Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock

Other Involved Ministries and Government Departments: Ministry of Agriculture, Local Government Rural Development

Expected Outcomes:

• Sustainable increase of livestock production is developed through improve technology, better animal health and resilient management practice.

Financial and technical partners (contributing through Government budgetary instruments): USAID, United Nations Development Programme, AUSAID, Asian Development Bank, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)

Financial and technical partners (providing direct contribution; off-Government budget)

BRAC

Children who are well nourished are able to concentrate and learn better at school. There is convincing evidence for a strong link between the level of a mother’s education and her child’s nutritional status. Programmes that promote strong linkages between nutrition and education can play a key role in advancing overall efforts to improve nutrition outcomes.

Currently, no policies have been identified in the education sector that pertain specifically to nutrition.

Social protection programmes can help tackle both the immediate and underlying causes of malnutrition by reducing vulnerability, protecting productive assets, ensuring basic needs can be met and securing access to a nutritious diet, particularly in times of crisis or instability.

As one of the 12 priority areas identified in the Bangladesh Country Investment Plan, the country is focused on improving the effectiveness and targeting of its social safety net programmes. These include a school feeding programme, vulnerable group feeding programme and food-for-work programmes.

Institutional development and capacity development for more effective safety nets

Programme delivery system: Local government system

Ministry in Charge:  Ministry of Women and Children Affairs and Ministry of Food and Disaster Management

Other Involved Ministries and Government Departments: Local Government Rural Development

Expected Outcomes:

• Effectiveness and targeting of social safety net programmes are improved through strengthened institutional capacity to design and implement them.

Financial and technical partners (contributing through Government budgetary instruments): USAID, UK Department for International Development (DFID), United Nations Development Programme,  World Food Programme (WFP)

Financial and technical partners (providing direct contribution; off-Government budget)

BRAC

At the core of all efforts to scale up nutrition, women are empowered to be leaders in their families and communities, leading the way to a healthier, stronger world.

Currently, no programmes have been identified in the women’s empowerment sector that pertain specifically to nutrition.