Somalia

The UN Nutrition Network and SUN Civil Society Network have worked together to support the National Coordination for SUN in planning and implementing national nutrition priorities. The networks have joint plans and consultation forums that steer the country’s nutrition agenda. There is a lack of an institutionalized monitoring and evaluation framework for nutrition and dedicated resources need to be established. Nutrition is being strengthened and integrated (nutrition-sensitive and -specific) into primary and higher education curricula through a framework.

Multisectoral coordination, nutrition advocacy and capacity development were strengthened across SUN networks. This included providing technical support in key line ministries, improving nutrition advocacy, raising awareness in line with Common Results Framework priorities, ensuring media and parliamentarian engagement and building the capacity of nutrition stakeholders and champions, among others. Capacity-building is needed within budget-making processes to inform advocacy opportunities in the budgeting cycle and to develop technical skills among national teams that enable annual budget tracking and analysis to be undertaken.

Somalia made its Nutrition for Growth (N4G) commitment with respect to policy, financing, impact and programmes, and SUN focal points were appointed at the subnational level. A joint capacity-building/orientation workshop was held for the focal points in Mogadishu. Studies on nutrition were published in internal peer-reviewed journals, which provided fundamental evidence on nutrition governance and coordination. Multisectoral platforms were trained on nutrition governance, leadership and coordination. The training brought together multiple stakeholders from all SUN networks in the country.