Welcome to Uttar Pradesh, the newest member of the SUN Movement

Community members attend a self-help group meeting at Thorthiya village in Barabanki district of Uttar Pradesh, India on October 28, 2015. © Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation / Sanjit Das

On 12 May 2016, Chief Secretary Alok Ranjan of Uttar Pradesh State in India, signed a letter of commitment officially joining the SUN Movement. Uttar Pradesh joins 57 countries from Africa, Asia and Latin America and the Indian State of Maharashtra, currently driving the SUN Movement.

The State of Uttar Pradesh is the most populous state of India with 210 million people, 16 percent of India’s population. The recent survey of 2013 and 2014 reported that 50 percent of children under five years are stunted, 34 percent are underweight, and 10 percent are wasted. This shows why Uttar Pradesh will be an immensely valuable member of the Movement, where challenges and successes are shared and where global and regional network support can be harnessed to scale up nutrition efforts.

In the letter of commitment, Secretary Alok expressed the deep commitment of the Government of Uttar Pradesh to address its nutrition situation by investing in high level leadership. The Nutrition Mission which has been established with government funds, serves as a catalytic advocacy and coordinating body working to bring multi-sectoral convergence to scale up nutrition for all people in the State.

In addition, the Vision document of Uttar Pradesh, focusing on the first 1000 days window of opportunity, prioritises the delivery of services to populations that are economically and socially most vunerable.

Join us in welcoming the Indian State of Uttar Pradesh as the newest member of the SUN Movement.

Read the letter of response from Tom Arnold, SUN Movement Coordinator ad interim English