Zambia launches the Global Nutrition Report in Lusaka on 26th February 2015

On Thursday 26 February, 2015, at Taj Pamodzi Hotel in Lusaka, Zambia, the Zambian Civil Society Scaling up Nutrition Alliance (CSO-SUN), the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and the Department for International Development (DFID) launched the Global Nutrition Report in an interactive roundtable event. The launching was officiated by the Minister of Health Dr. Joseph Kasonde MP, who focused on the role of accountability as the glue that must connect commitment to action.

In his welcoming remarks, CSO-SUN Country Coordinator William Chilufya stressed the need for leaders to be held accountable to the commitments set for nutrition. He emphasised that failure to be accountable would cast a long shadow – passing on a painful legacy of malnutrition to the next generation.

In his speech, Minister Dr. Joseph Kasonde emphasised that investing in nutrition is non-negotiable and crucial in achieving the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Minister reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to tackling malnutrition and protecting future generations.

The event culminated with a panel discussion, where a variety of panelists spoke about the need to transform commitment into action through cultivating strong, sustainable political will. It was widely acknowledged that Government needs to lead the process but with strategic support from stakeholders. Furthermore, the panel discussed the need to translate commitments into policy and legislation to make promises made for nutrition a reality. It was also mentioned that legislation was particularly important in guiding the private sector towards good nutrition practices. Finally, the panel discussed the importance of capacity building in the fight against malnutrition and speakers emphasised the need to elevate the National Food and Nutrition Council (NFNC) to a higher position in order to give it more clout and the need for professionally trained nutritionists to be available at service delivery points.

Overall the event was an enormous success that witnessed the reaffirmation of commitments to nutrition as well as saw new ways of meeting such commitments. With a strong focus on the need for accountability, the event was a good opportunity to remind stakeholders of their roles in order to successfully address malnutrition in Zambia.

By CSO-SUN Zambia