Infant and young child nutrition

Despite significant advancements in reducing global child mortality and malnutrition, a substantial number of children still die due to preventable causes, including undernutrition. Maternal and child nutrition programmes have been instrumental in avoiding child mortality, yet they often grapple with insufficient resources, limiting their…

This brief guidance describes 'transformative' WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) and how it can strengthen efforts to improve child survival, nutrition, and development in early childhood. It presents the latest developments and good practices in applying transformative WASH through joint programming to contribute to better child nutrition and…

In 2021, UNICEF updated its guidance on the Procurement and Use of Breastmilk Substitutes (BMS) in Humanitarian Settings, which clarifies that where BMS procurement is warranted in humanitarian settings, UNICEF can procure such supplies as part of an overall response that supports optimal infant and young child feeding (IYCF). The case studies…

This brief guidance includes an introduction affirming our guiding principles based on the Nutrition Strategy, it subsequently presents the issue of iron deficiency anemia and the evidence around MNPs as a preventive measure. Given the strong evidence base, the guidance emphasizes that UNICEF prioritizes using MNPs to prevent iron deficiency…

What is the Child Nutrition Fund?, The Child Nutrition Fund (CNF) is a new financing mechanism designed to accelerate the scale-up of sustainable policies, programmes and supplies to end child wasting.  , Why do we need a Child Nutrition Fund?, Because child wasting is a tragedy. In 2020, an estimated 45 million children globally were estimated to be suffering from wasting in early life. About one-third of them require therapeutic feeding and care. Despite two decades of progress in reducing child malnutrition globally, the number of children with wasting is rising due to a perfect storm…, Who is the Child Nutrition Fund for?, The CNF is designed to support government-led efforts in some of the countries that carry among the highest numbers and/or proportion of children under 5 years of age with wasting. As such, the CNF will support government-led efforts in countries that have developed operational roadmaps as part of the United Nations Secretary-General’s  Global…, What actions will the Child Nutrition Fund scale up?, The CNF is designed to support the scale-up of five essential government-led actions for the early prevention, detection and treatment of child wasting in early childhood, as described in the GAP, recognizing that implementing partners may need to support the direct delivery of these interventions during humanitarian crises. These five actions,…, How will the Child Nutrition Fund add value?, The CNF aims to improve the coordination and transparency of financing for wasting by offering UNICEF and its partners a range of tools designed to achieve three specific goals: Goal 1: Incentivize, increase and prioritize the allocation of global resources to essential programmes and supplies for the early prevention, detection and treatment of…, How will the Child Nutrition Fund reach these goals?, The CNF aims to reach these three goals through working in partnership with governments and investors on coordination and advocacy and using three ‘windows’ that aim to incentivize, increase and prioritize the allocation of global and domestic resources to essential programmes and supplies for the early prevention, detection and treatment of child…

The Child Nutrition Fund is a new financing mechanism designed to accelerate the scale-up of sustainable policies, programmes and supplies to end child wasting. The CNF is designed to support government-led efforts in a selected number of countries that carry some of the highest numbers and/or proportion of children under 5 years of age with…

The UNICEF report "A Child Rights-Based Approach to Food Marketing" explores the impact of unhealthy food marketing on children's rights. The report highlights the harm caused by the marketing of unhealthy foods and drinks, including negative health outcomes, and sets out a child rights-based approach to food marketing. It provides an overview of…

NEW YORK, 7 March 2023 – The number of pregnant and breastfeeding adolescent girls and women suffering from acute malnutrition has soared from 5.5 million to 6.9 million – or 25 per cent – since 2020 in 12 countries hardest hit by the global food and nutrition crisis, according to a new report released by UNICEF today. The 12 countries – including…

This guidance note on the use of Small Supplements for the Prevention of Malnutrition in Early Childhood (SQ-LNS) aims at supporting countries considering integrating SQ-LNS into their programming for the prevention of malnutrition in nutritionally vulnerable children 6-12 months of age and in populations in which child undernutrition is prevalent…

Undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies and anaemia amplify gender inequalities by lowering learning potential, wages and life opportunities for adolescent girls and women, weakening their immunity to infections, and increasing their risk of life-threatening complications during pregnancy and childbirth. In ‘Undernourished and Overlooked: A…

Smiling is contagious and these happy children from around the world are sure to put a smile on your face! Find out what's been making them smile this year: Above: 13-month-old Jonaila from the Philippines is grinning from ear to ear the day before her first routine immunizations. UNICEF procures and distributes vaccines and other essential…

NEW YORK, 21 September 2022 - "Excellencies, distinguished guests, colleagues, "I am very happy to welcome you to UNICEF for this critical discussion. "I want to begin by thanking Administrator Samantha Power and the United States Government for their unflagging support of the most vulnerable children, and for co-hosting this event. "I am deeply…