UN Secretary-General appoints 27 global leaders to spearhead the fight against malnutrition

The Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement continues its drive to improve nutrition for all women, men and their families, everywhere, with the coming together of 27 newly appointed global leaders – all committed to fighting malnutrition in all its forms.

Appointed by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, these prominent figures are changemakers who have pledged to make sure nutrition is placed, and remains, at the top of the agenda, and will provide inspiration and direction for the SUN Movement and its mission in eradicating malnutrition. One in three people suffer from malnutrition the world over and 149 million girls and boys are stunted.

Good nutrition is essential to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. These global leaders will support country-led efforts to scale up nutrition and to deliver for girls, boys and their families to ensure a world free from malnutrition by 2030.

Members of the Lead Group are appointed until July 2021 and  include several Vice Presidents of SUN member countries and other leaders from the array of partners engaged in the SUN Movement – civil society, youth coalitions,  international and United Nations organisations, donor agencies, businesses and foundations.

At the annual meeting of the Lead Group, to be held on 24 September, the Group will take a decision on the continuation of the SUN Movement into its third phases (2021-2025) and make commitments to achieve its objectives – looking toward the 2020 Tokyo Nutrition for Growth Summit and the future of the Movement.

The SUN Movement was launched in 2010 by the UN Secretary-General. Led by governments and driven by evidence, SUN has today rallied 61 countries and four Indian States – supported by over 3,000 civil society organisations, some 500 businesses, five UN agencies and a group of international donors and foundations (the SUN Networks). Their commitment: to leave ‘egos and logos’ behind, align efforts and work together to scale up nutrition during the critical first 1,000 days from a mother’s pregnancy until her child’s second birthday.

Malnutrition in all its forms continues to be the leading cause of poor health and poverty globally. Children who suffer from undernutrition often grow up to be obese, and undernutrition, overweight and obesity coexist in many countries. Inequality is rising and achieving gender equality remains a persistent challenge. Soon, the health effects of climate change will considerably compound these challenges. Food systems have the potential to nourish human health and support environmental sustainability; however, they are currently threatening both.

Improving nutrition means driving progress across the host of challenges faced by the world today. Yet, it remains one of the world’s least-addressed problems. Each country and stakeholder must do more and collaborate to tackle malnutrition, in all its forms.

The SUN Lead Group will  help drive political momentum and global recognition of nutrition’s catalytic power to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and guide the strategic direction of the SUN Movement in the changing landscape, for the coming two years.

More information

• SUN Movement Lead Group
• SUN Lead Group Members bios
• Follow #SUNLG members on Twitter

”SUN Lead Group members” 

• Akinwumi ADESINA (Nigeria),
  President, African Development Bank
• Manal AL ALEM (Jordan), Chef
• Reem Ebrahim AL-HASHIMI (UAE),
  Cabinet Member and Minister of State for International Cooperation
• Mercedes ARÁOZ FERNÁNDEZ (Peru),
  Vice-President, Republic of Peru
• Inger ASHING (SWEDEN),
  CEO, Save the Children International
• Cherrie ATILANO (Philippines),
  Founder and CEO, Agrea Agricultural Systems Internaional Inc.
• Alicia BÁRCENA IBARRA, (Mexico)
  Executive Secretary, Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean
• David BEASLEY (USA)
  Executive Director, World Food Programme
• Martin CHUNGONG (Cameroon),
  Secretary General, Inter Parliamentary Union
• Josefa Leonel CORREIA SACKO (Angola),
  Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture, African Union Commission
• Aliko DANGOTE (Nigeria)
  Chairman and CEO, Dangote Group
• Annette DIXON (New Zealand)
  Vice President Human Development, World Bank
• Chris ELIAS (United States of America)
  President of Global Development, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
• Shenggen FAN (China),
  Director General, International Food Policy Research Institute
• Henrietta H. FORE (USA)
  Executive Director, UNICEF and Chair of the SUN Movement Lead Group
• Sophie HEALY-THOW (Ireland),
  Youth Leader
• Daniel KABLAN DUNCAN, (Côte d’Ivoire),
  Vice President Côte d’Ivoire
• Monica Katebe MUSONDA (Zambia),
  Founder and CEO, Java Foods
• Jakaya KIKWETE (Tanzania)
  Former President United Republic of Tanzania, Kikwete Foundation
• Shinichi KITAOKA (Japan),
  President Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)
• Maryam MONSEF (Canada),
  Minister of International Development and Minister for Women and Gender Equality, Canada
• David NABARRO (United Kingdom),
  Sustainable Development Facilitator, 4SD
• Sania NISHTAR (Pakistan),
  Founder and President, Heartfile Foundation
• Inia SERUIRATU (Fiji),
  Minister of Foreign Affairs, Fiji
• Feike SIJBESMA (The Netherlands),
  CEO, Royal Dutch DSM
• Gunhild Anker STORDALEN (Norway),
  Founder and President, EAT Foundation
• Gerda VERBURG (The Netherlands),
  UN Assistant Secretary-General and Coordinator of the SUN Movement