Wasting in focus: challenges, successes, and a path forward to 2030

Organizers: The webinar is hosted by WHO, UNICEF, and SUN Movement

Background

Childhood wasting is a critical health and development issue affecting millions worldwide. Severe malnutrition drastically raises children's risk of disease and mortality. This webinar will explore the devastating impact of wasting on child survival, development, and long-term economic productivity. With 45 million children under five affected globally, the 2025 Global Nutrition Target will not be met and wasting remains a major challenge in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 2.2, which calls for ending malnutrition by 2030.

In this webinar we will discuss the complex causes of wasting and identify key solutions through improving child diets, increasing healthcare access, and providing better water and sanitation services. This session will emphasize the urgent need for targeted interventions to prevent and manage wasting and support healthier, more resilient populations.

The webinar aims to: 

• Highlight the current progress and barriers to achieving the Global Nutrition Targets on wasting by 2025. 
• Present the suggested extension of the WHA Global Nutrition Targets to align with the 2030 agenda. 
• Showcase best practice examples from countries to inspire others in their journey to commitment-making. 
• Focus attention on high-impact interventions needed to improve nutrition.
• Describe key resources that countries can use to address wasting relevant to the scope of the Paris Nutrition for Growth Summit and the SUN Global Gathering in 2025.

Agenda 

Moderator: Emma Massey, Global Health Directorate | Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, UK

12:00 – 12:05: Welcome remarks 

12:05 – 12:15: Why child wasting is a major priority, Minh Tram Le, UNICEF

12:15 – 12:30: Charting the way forward to 2030, Jaden Bendabenda, WHO

12:30 – 12:50: Country examples, Dr Benja, Madagascar, and Dr Luz Tagunicar, The Philippines

12:50 – 13:25: Panel Discussion and Q&A

13:25 – 13:30: Closing remarks

Languages

The webinars will be simultaneously interpreted in Arabic, English, French, Portuguese, Spanish, and Russian.