CS-SUNN led the SUN Movement Pooled Fund Project Window II in partnership with SUN Networks; UN, Donor, Business/Private sector and Government from January 2020 to February 2021. At subnational level it was implemented in five focal states; Kaduna, Kano, Oyo, Gombe and Enugu through civil society organizations who are members of the CS-SUNN Alliance to increase effectiveness and impact of national efforts to end malnutrition in all its forms.
Following the three themes as outlined in the SUN Movement Pooled Fund Result Framework, CS-SUNN recorded the following achievements:
1) Improvement to Maternal and Child Health and Nutrition through multi-sectoral nutrition interventions; increased ability for project states to implement nutrition plans to benefit people particularly women and children. Specifically, CS-SUNN recorded:
o Increased knowledge and capacity to adopt best practices on exclusive breast feeding, infant and young child feeding and hygiene among caregivers in the project states.
o Increased knowledge and capacities of CSOs, CBOs and Media on BMS code, Maternity Protection, Food Fortification and Right to Food at subnational levels.
o Strengthened linkages, enhanced knowledge on nutrition issues and ownership among stakeholders; community, traditional and religious leaders at the community levels in the project states.
o Key messages and campaigns on BMS code, Maternity Protection, Food Fortification, and Right to Food developed and disseminated on various media platforms.
o Increased Media coverage of nutrition in project states. For instance, a dedicated 1-hour airtime on the States Television and Radio Stations to discuss Nutrition and the importance of IYCF.
o An approval of Extension of Maternity from 4 months to 6 months in Oyo state. This was as a result of CS-SUNN engagements with Policymakers on Exclusive Breastfeeding and maternity protection.
Theme 2: Promote Ownership and Capacity Strengthening of Multi-Sector/Stakeholder Platform at decentralized level. Under this theme:
o the capacity of the SUN Secretariat in Nigeria to deliver on its agenda was strengthened
o For the first time in Nigeria, the SUN-Academic and Research Network was inaugurated at the National level and subnational chapters were established in Enugu, Gombe, Kaduna, Kano, and Oyo States.
o A comprehensive five years country strategy for the SUN Network in Nigeria (2021-2025) was developed. This is the first of its type since existence of SUN in Nigeria.
Theme 3: Strengthening of Sharing and Learning; Knowledge and evidence on nutrition were documented and shared among stakeholders at all levels. Programmatic and exchanges on learning and sharing of best practices were held physically and virtually on existing platforms, National and State Committees on Food and Nutrition and the SUN Movement Coordination meetings.
