EU-funded project launched to combat malnutrition
A two-year nutrition program has been launched with the financial support of the European Union to combat malnutrition in Sindh with a particular focus on women and children.
The formal launch of the €6 million project was held at a hotel in Karachi on Friday. The project aims to alleviate malnutrition in five severely-affected districts of Sindh, namely Kashmore, Ghotki, Sukkur, Khairpur, and Naushahro Feroze. The project will be executed through a collaborative effort involving the International Rescue Committee (IRC), the Medical Emergency Resilience Foundation (MERF), and the Strengthening Participatory Organisation (SPO).
While speaking at the launch, Carlo De Rosa, Development Adviser for Rural Development and Nutrition of the European Union Delegation to Pakistan, emphasised the need for a collaborative approach for ensuring food security, involving various stakeholders. He also highlighted the crucial role of local civil society organisations in this endeavour.
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De Rosa stated that the project aims to enhance the quality and scope of efforts, facilitating coordination of nutrition-specific initiatives, and creating an environment conducive to improving political, institutional, and policy processes to combat malnutrition.
Shabnam Baloch, IRC’s Country Director, stressed the importance of harnessing the expertise and wisdom of local civil society organisations in achieving a future free from malnutrition. The IRC is committed to strengthening its nutrition programs to address the impacts of climate change while improving the nutritional situation in Pakistan.
The project is set to provide food assistance to more than 245,000 women and 415,000 children through 15 local civil society organisations. Moreover, it will collaborate closely with the Sindh Health Department to enhance the nutrition skills of 389 staff members across the province and improve their capacity in supply chain management and monitoring.
Another aspect of the project is the promotion of policy dialogues led by civil society organisations. The goal is to inform policymakers about evidence-based findings, enabling the formulation of policies that will ultimately enhance health and nutrition services for the communities most in need.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 28th, 2023.