Dushanbe, Tajikistan, August 11, 2014 – In support of the Government of Tajikistan, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), as donor co-convener of the Scaling-Up Nutrition (SUN) movement along with UNICEF in Tajikistan, helped launch the initiative with a national kick-off workshop on Monday August 11.  Representatives from the Ministries of Health and Social Protection, Agriculture, Economy and Trade, development organizations such as the World Food Programme and the World Health Organization, and members of the private sector and civil society participated in the workshop to develop a common understanding of the SUN movement and to launch a multi-sector nutrition agenda in Tajikistan.  First Deputy Minister of Health and Social Protection and SUN Focal Point, Dr. Lola Bobohojieva, opened the event and stressed the importance of nutrition as a critical factor that contributes to the health of women and children. 

U.S. Ambassador Susan Elliott delivered opening remarks, underlining the need to involve the multiple sectors in scaling up nutrition, and the economic impacts of poor nutrition on national development.  “To achieve nutrition outcomes and food security, it is essential to have strong government commitment to improve health systems, nutrition specific interventions, agriculture development, robust private sector participation, and coordination of various actors and efforts.” 

The workshop brought together representatives of the SUN Secretariat as well as representatives from Nepal and Kyrgyzstan where the SUN movement has made great progress in mobilizing a multi-sector response to the problem of malnutrition.

The SUN kick-off workshop is the first significant event held by the Ministry of Health and Social Protection since the Government of Tajikistan joined the SUN movement in September 2013.  Since 2010, 53 countries have joined the SUN movement worldwide.