Vietnam launches Scaling Up Nutrition Network

The event was participated by representatives of the Ministry of Health, the National Institute of Nutrition, UNICEF, WHO, World Bank, and the first eight network members: World Vision, Save the Children, Plan International, ChildFund, Hellen Keller International, Alive & Thrive/FHI 360, and the Center for Community Health Promotion.

SUN CSA Vietnam was founded with the purpose of improving the capacity and coordination between local and international civil society organizations in terms of health care and nutrition for children, pregnant women and mothers with children, and families, especially in ethnic minority and difficult areas.

At the same time, the network also aims to enhance the role and impact of civil society organizations in the development, implementation of policies, and advocacy of state budget allocations, towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) by 2030, especially the goal of "Ending poverty, ensuring food security, improving nutritional status and promoting sustainable agriculture".

In January 2014, Vietnam officially joined the SUN Movement - a global movement that unites people from civil society, the United Nations, donors, businesses and researchers - in a collective effort to end all forms of malnutrition in the world by 2030. Launched in 2010, the SUN Movement is now led by 60-member countries including Viet Nam.

As a member of the SUN Movement, Vietnam has been leading the way to addressing malnutrition in all its forms and making this transformative agenda a reality for people in the whole country. Vietnam has recently enacted and enforced two important pro-nutrition policies including the Communist Party’s Resolution No. 20 / NQ-TW and the Prime Minister Directive No. 46 / CT-TTg. However, more domestic investment is crucial for reaching the Movement’s goal of eliminating malnutrition by 2030./.