Achieving freedom from child hunger and undernutrition: What bilateral partners can contribute UN System Standing Committee on Nutrition 34th Session, 26 February – 1 March 2007 Poul Engberg-Pedersen Director-General, Norad Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation

”Working Together” is the theme – Some questions on effective implementation Norway supports the goals of ECHUI and the work of SCN. Our PM co-chaired the UN Reform Panel: Delivering as One ”We all agree” on importance of nutrition for MDGs, according to SCN documents. This is correct and encouraging! But we have agreed for 30 years – Why have we not been more successful? Is it due to weak implementation, or lack of resources? Or structural causes? We do not accept ’mission impossible’ There are many experts on nutrition here – I’ll focus on implementation Obviously, I do not speak on behalf of all bilaterals Norway is supportive, still considering best ways of supporting 24.11.2018 Side/Page

Why is it so difficult in the real world Why is it so difficult in the real world? Nutrition is embedded in history, culture, power, resources... ETHIOPIA Food, conflict, politics Geography, topography Age-old food culture, related hygiene Gender and power Natural disasters Yet, amazing cultural coping capacity BANGLADESH Population, space and natural resources Gender, religion and power Recurrent natural disasters Closed households with trees, ponds etc. (baris) as health & nutrition hazards, but huge nutrition potential 24.11.2018 Side/Page

Two supplementary approaches in the UN system, well-tested and with strengths and weaknesses THE COHESIVE UN-SYSTEM Advocacy, awareness, resource mobilization in and through ”international nutrition system” The right to food Mainstreaming nutrition in all emergency and development activities One UN... TARGETED SERVICES Health, hygiene & nutrition education and promotion Micronutrient supplement Household water treatment Parasite control measures Household food security Less than $80 per family Delivering... (as One UN) 24.11.2018 Side/Page

Development effectiveness of cooperation: Global goals and targets (MDGs) – National ownership (PRS) Nutrition is critical to MDGs (#1-#6), but programmes and partners cannot be ’deduced’ from the MDGs For two decades, development cooperation has moved upstream from projects to policies, budgets and programmes, for reasons of ownership, effectiveness, harmonisation and sustainability National ownership is critical to food and nutrition programmes, but what is the link from ”national policy frameworks and coordination mechanisms” to the reality of undernutrition in families? Many bilateral partners are constrained by concentration on three sectors in each country – and nutrition is not one of them… Agriculture, food production and food distribution have lost out in the attention and resources of bilateral development cooperation 24.11.2018 Side/Page

What can bilaterals do to close the gap between nutrition reality and implementation models? Global engagement Share our own experience with malnutrition, gender inequality, health and nutrition education. This requires involving both development and nutrition expertise, as we do in Norway Involve ourselves in global normative and regulatory efforts, related to marketing of unhealthy food, intellectual property, etc. Engage with the ‘new donors’ in the private sector, adopting and supplementing their vertical results-orientation Promote ‘working together’ as agreeing on goals, strategies, but creating space for division of labour and diversified implementation Norway: Integrate nutrition with work for MDG4 on child survival 24.11.2018 Side/Page

What can bilaterals do to close the gap between nutrition reality and implementation models? National engagement Targeted services: Support international partners (from UN, civil society, private sector) who can deliver in collaboration with national and local authorities and public and private actors Policy dialogue: Encourage analysis and debate about nutrition’s foundation in history, culture, power. Politicization may be more effective than ‘policy framework and coordination mechanism’ Seek division of labour among bilaterals, so that at least 1-2 partners are active in nutrition research, policy and operations in each LIC Contribute to capacity development through links with nutrition expertise in the region and in home country 24.11.2018 Side/Page

Will such national and international engagement close the gap between nutrition reality and implementation? Realism about the strength of embedded causes, and about the limitations of both approaches: ‘Cohesive mainstreaming’ and ‘Targeted services’ The two approaches fall short on food production and distribution Sustainable improvement must build upon existing strengths (such as in Bangladeshi and Ethiopian households and communities) Specialized partners (UN agencies, civil society organizations) have strengths over bilaterals due to cross-cutting, targeted nature of nutrition problems and solutions Bilaterals have key roles in providing resources (directly and through all partners), experience, expertise and political pressure for right to food. Resources must reach local levels There is a need for ECHUI (8 billion $ annually for 100 million families), but also for rising incomes and education levels 24.11.2018 Side/Page