Scope and purpose
In 2017, 51 million of the world’s children under 5 years of age were wasted, 151 million were stunted and at the same time, 38 million children were overweight and obese. The developmental, economic, and social impacts of the global burden of malnutrition are serious and lasting, for individuals and their families, for communities and for countries.
To combat malnutrition in all its forms, Member States, at the Second International Conference on Nutrition (ICN2), adopted the Rome Declaration on Nutrition and the Framework for Action (FfA), which provide a global roadmap for addressing malnutrition in all its forms including overweight, obesity and diet-related NCDs.
Furthermore, in April 2016, the UN General Assembly, through its Resolution 70/259, endorsed the ICN2 outcomes and proclaimed 2016 to 2025 the United Nations Decade of Action on Nutrition (Nutrition Decade).
The Nutrition Decade has six cross-cutting action areas of work:
- Sustainable, resilient food systems for healthy diets;
- Aligned health systems providing universal coverage of essential nutrition actions;
- Social protection and nutrition education;
- Trade and investment for improved nutrition;
- Safe and supportive environments for nutrition at all ages; and
- Strengthened governance and accountability for nutrition.
What we eat affects our health. Unhealthy diets increase the risk for noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and are responsible for over 10 million NCD deaths yearly. Moreover, children who are stunted are at higher risk of developing diet-related NCDs later in life.
The Foreign Policy and Global Health Initiative was launched by the Oslo Ministerial Declaration in 2007, spearheaded by the foreign ministers of Brazil, France, Indonesia, Norway, Senegal, South Africa and Thailand. These founding Ministers renewed their commitment to the Oslo Ministerial Declaration in 2010.
Starting in 2008, Global Health and Foreign Policy has been a regular item on the UN General Assembly agenda. A report which informs the discussions and responds to the annual resolution is prepared by the WHO Director-General. The reports and resolutions resulting from this initiative consistently explore different areas of collaboration between health and foreign policy, provide recommendations, and contribute to better understanding of the importance of health in international policy and developmental discussions. This year, Brazil is the Chair and has proposed a focus on nutrition for the 2018.
The Governments of Brazil, France, Indonesia, Norway, Senegal, South Africa and Thailand, members of the FPGH Initiative, and the WHO Department of Nutrition for Health and Development, would like to invite you to participate in a workshop on “Best practices on Nutrition in the Fight against NCDs.”
The objectives of the workshop are:
- To share best practices of FPGH Initiative Member Countries to improve nutrition;
- To highlight the unique opportunity of the UN Decade of Action on Nutrition for the prevention and control of NCDs and encourage making new SMART commitments;
- To discuss with and learn from non-State Actors about existing and new programmes and policies to improve nutrition in the fight to reduce diet-related NCDs.
In the week of the event, the WHO cantine will offer on its menu local dishes of the seven FPGH Initiative countries.
Interpretation English/French available.
Opening session with H.E. Maria Nazareth Farani Azevêdo, Permanent Representative of Brazil (chair), Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization and Dr Francesco Branca, Director of the WHO Department of Nutrition for Health and Development.
Left to right - H.E. Mr Hasan Kleib (Indonesia), Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (Director-General WHO), H.E. Ms Maria Nazareth Farani Azevêdo (Brazil), Ms Carolyn Rodrigues Birkett (Director/FAO Liaison Office Geneva), Dr Francesco Branca (Director, WHO/NHD).