In addition to research, advocacy is needed to galvanize policymakers to collectively address malnutrition around the world.
FHI 360 has played a leadership role in nutrition advocacy and policy for the past two decades. We are active members of the Nutrition CEO Council, Infant Feeding in Emergencies Core Group steering committee and NetCode, which is a network for the global monitoring and implementation of the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes.
Our 1,000 Days initiative advocates for increased maternal and child nutrition investments during the first 1,000 days, from pregnancy through a child’s second birthday, in the U.S. and around the world. The initiative influences policy through coalition building and translating technical evidence into policy recommendations. FHI 360 also spearheaded the Global Action Plan for Women’s Nutrition — an effort to optimize and safeguard women’s and girl’s nutrition. Multiple stakeholders worked together to create the plan’s Action Agenda, which calls for policy change, scale-up of evidence-based interventions and systematized social and behavior change in priority areas.
In addition to focusing on influencing global nutrition policies, we develop tools to support policy change at the country level. Our Cost of Not Breastfeeding tool, developed by the Alive & Thrive initiative, helps governments identify the future economic losses that can accrue from the lack of breastfeeding and thus encourages governments to make significant investments in promoting breastfeeding. Our PROFILES tool, developed by the Food and Nutrition Technical Assistance III (FANTA) project, has helped governments estimate the consequences of malnutrition and the potential positive effects of investing in different nutrition interventions in more than 30 countries.
FHI 360 has provided direct technical assistance to governments around the world in developing policies, strategies and guidelines to advance the management of acute malnutrition, optimal infant and young child feeding, micronutrient supplementation, and multisectoral nutrition coordination.