Graça Machel applauds Namibia for strong commitment to scale up nutrition

As the world celebrates the 23^rd anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, Global Children’s Advocate and Child Rights Advocate, Mrs. Graca Machel arrived in Namibia on 20 November 2012 for a three day visit to support the Government and its partners to accelerate efforts to scale up nutrition and reduce stunting in the country, currently at almost 30 percent among children below the age of five. The visit, hosted by the Rt. Honourable Prime Minister of the Government of the Republic of Namibia was to highlight the urgent investments needed to reduce stunting (chronic malnutrition), poverty and inequalities facing the country.

Mrs. Graça Machel welcomed commitments made by the Namibian Government and partners to rid the country of the scourge of malnutrition. Mrs. Machel commended the initiatives taken by the Government of Namibia to establish the Namibia Alliance for Improved Nutrition (NAFIN), a multi-sectoral forum, led by the Rt. Hon Prime Minister Nahas Angula.

In a meeting with Mrs. Machel on Tuesday, the President of the Republic of Namibia, Hifikepuke Pohamba reaffirmed the government´s and his personal commitment to address malnutrition and other obstacles affecting the fulfillment of children’s rights. Later at a special meeting with Parliamentarians, this pledge was echoed by the cabinet ministers, governors, regional councils and civil society organizations, who pledged to work across the country to reduce malnutrition rates by two percent every year.

In a country where one in every three children under five years of age are too short for their age and one in five are too thin for their age, children born in poor families have a three-fold risk of being stunted or malnourished compared to those born in the rich families; hence Mrs. Machel highlighted the need for urgent action by Parliamentarians and all stakeholders.

“Parliamentarians have a critical role to play in consolidating the economic gains made by the country to change the lives of children and women in Namibia,” said Graça Machel. “Members of the Parliament can make a difference individually and collectively by advocating and communicating the urgency to reduce malnutrition and stunting in households, communities, and the nation at large.”