Nutrition Now
This publication provides an overview of the nutrition situation in the Sahel, the current challenges and how UNICEF and partners can take action to shift the paradigm and focus on scaling interventions to prevent malnutrition. A banner featuring a mother smiling as she holds her baby close to her, In this region, childhood is full of risks and threats. Many essential services are simply not available., Africa's Sahel Region, It is a semi-arid climatic region along the southern edge of the Sahara Desert covering approximately 3,053 million km2, stretching from the Atlantic coast in the west, to the Red Sea in the east. Malnutrition, especially undernutrition and micronutrient deficiencies, is one of the many challenges children face in an already fragile region. A…, Reconsidering malnutrition in the Sahel, A malnourished child in the Sahel is not just the image of a dangerously thin child who isn’t getting enough to eat. The vast majority of children in the region are affected by at least 3 different forms of malnutrition – wasting, stunting and micronutrient deficiencies. To prevent wasting and stunting we need to ensure that children can benefit…, Here is Djamila’s story. If we work together, differently, and make the right investments, it could be the story of every child in the Sahel., We must act now to help the Sahel recover., Investing in nutrition well-being and closing the funding gaps will enable UNICEF and partners to strengthen priority systems to deliver for children. The time for taking action is now, and we have solutions. ____________________________________________________ , PREVENTION OF MALNUTRITION IN EARLY CHILDHOOD, Breastfeeding Promote early initiation of breastfeeding in primary health care, exclusive breastfeeding until 6 months, and then continued breastfeeding up to two years. Support governments with a legal framework and on-the-ground interventions to ban inappropriate promotion and distribution of breastmilk substitutes, and to support healthy food…, EARLY DETECTION AND TREATMENT OF LIFE-THREATENING MALNUTRITION IN EARLY CHILDHOOD, Early detection of wasting Intensify efforts to strengthen the capacity of mothers, caregivers and community actors to detect and monitor their children’s nutritional status. Empowering mothers is key to tackle undernutrition. A mother holds her baby as she gets screened for malnutrition Treatment of wasting Scale-up simplified approaches to…, Nutrition is a lifelong issue, The effects of poor nutrition start in the womb, but continue into adulthood, and cycle across generations. While malnutrition can trap generations of children in a cycle of poverty, good nutrition, particularly in infancy, is the building block for future health and development. A lifecycle approach to nutrition programming ensures that we target…, We must invest in Nutrition Now!, To ensure every child in the Sahel has access to essential nutrition programmes, we need to close the funding gaps. A visual of a quote written in white on a blue background We want to take full advantage of this opportunity to ensure that every mother and child in the Sahel has the chance of a better future. Together we can safeguard the progress…, 1UNICEF // Nutrition Now: For the Sahel. For every child. Context // UNICEF/UNI116268/Pirozzi2023 // For the Sahel,for every child NOWNUTRITION 3UNICEF // Nutrition Now: For the Sahel. For every child. Context // SAHEL REGION //// In this region, childhood is full of risks and threats. Many essential services are simply not available. It is a semi…
West and Central Africa
