Nutrition
Equitable access to healthy nutrition for all children
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The issues
Good nutrition is a fundamental right that is crucial to the survival and development of young children, and to their future as adults. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development commits all governments to act to eradicate hunger and malnutrition by 2030. UNICEF is bolstering its nutrition efforts by providing financial and technical support to Ministry of Public Health and Population (MSPP) and by creating equity in nutrition for Haitian children.
850,000 children under 5 (66 per cent) suffer from anaemia, a sign of iron deficiency.
300,000 children under 5 (22 per cent) suffer from chronic malnutrition (low height relative to age).
50,000 children under 5 (4 per cent) suffer from acute malnutrition (low weight relative to height).
Only 40 per cent of infants under 6 months are exclusively breastfed.
Only 14 per cent of children aged between 6 and 23 months are fed according to minimum acceptable diet practices.
The solutions
Scaling up interventions with proven cost-effectiveness: the large-scale implementation of a package of nutrition-specific interventions, proven to be effective and low-cost, can considerably reduce morbidity, mortality, and physical and mental disabilities linked to malnutrition. These actions focus on maternal nutrition, infant and young child feeding, the prevention and treatment of micronutrient deficiencies, the treatment of acute malnutrition, the promotion of good hygiene practices and health care.
Leveraging the first 1,000 days: the period of life from the beginning of pregnancy to the age of 2, known as the 1,000-day period, is considered to be the best window of opportunity for preventing malnutrition so that every child can reach his or her full intellectual and physical potential. Early preventive action also produces a better return on investment than later curative action.
Promoting equity: poverty and its corollaries (food insecurity and limited access to drinking water), as well as health and education, are the major underlying causes of malnutrition. Stunting is around 4 times more common among the poorest (34 per cent) than the wealthiest (nine per cent) in Haiti. Action to prevent and reduce malnutrition must therefore take into account its distribution within the population and target the most disadvantaged groups, using the prism of equity.
The nutrition programme in figures
- Nearly 44,000 children under the age of two received essential micronutrient powders (including iron) to improve the quality of their diet in 2018.
- Nearly 20,000 mothers and other parents received advice on positive family practices in feeding and caring for young children in 2018.
- Around 14,000 children under the age of five were treated in 2018 for acute malnutrition, a form of malnutrition that can be fatal if left untreated.
Resources
UNICEF supports MSPP in formulating policies and strategies to reduce malnutrition, generating evidence to inform the nutrition programme and monitor progress in its implementation, and scaling up the package of interventions for the first 1,000 days of life to reach the most disadvantaged populations and areas.
Why are these efforts necessary?
Malnutrition hinders not only the development of individuals, but also that of communities and the nation as a whole. It compromises physical and cognitive development, which in turn reduces the economic potential of individuals and societies and contributes to the perpetuation of poverty. The consequences of malnutrition also undermine progress towards several of the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly in the areas of health and education.
You can access our reports and research by clicking on the link below: Ressources et publications