The South Sudanese government has announced a national nutrition policy, a critical step toward addressing malnutrition in the country. The policy highlights progress made in addressing malnutrition, acknowledges existing challenges, and outlines strategies to be used in the provision of nutrition services to prevent and treat all forms of malnutrition. It is expected to run until 2033 and identifies six key priorities to guide its implementation.
When South Sudan became independent in 2011, the new government pledged to improve the overall health and well-being of its citizens by combating hunger and malnutrition. Dr. Annin Ngot Ngot, Undersecretary of South Sudan’s Ministry of Health, says the launch of this nutrition policy demonstrates firm commitment to upholding that obligation. “This national nutrition policy lays a strong foundation for addressing the multifaceted challenges of malnutrition in South Sudan, and I am confident it will pave the way for improved nutrition outcomes and the overall well-being of our nation.” he says.
South Sudan is currently facing high levels of hunger, with the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report warning of 2.3 million children under the age of five being at risk of acute malnutrition. The introduction of a national nutrition policy is a major milestone for the fight against hunger in the country.
A significant effort was made by the Right2Grow consortium, with support from the German Federal Foreign Office (GFFO), to bring a national nutrition policy to the fore. Awareness raising, including dialogues with government officials and community leaders, and a National Nutrition Policy Writing Workshop were key activities to support the development of an evidence-based nutrition policy. Denish Ogen, Advocacy Manager at Action Against Hunger, an organization part of the Right2Grow consortium, says these efforts “culminated in the formation of the South Sudan Parliamentary Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition, whose aim was to lobby for the adoption of the National Nutrition Policy,” eventually resulting in its adoption.
For Samuel Chor Alier of the Child Rights Coalition (part of the Right2Grow consortium), the greatest achievement with the launch of this policy is the resources it will provide. “This policy unlocks resources for the fight against malnutrition, as the government will be legally obligated to allocate resource support for the implementation of this policy.”
