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UNITLIFESascha Graumann, UNICEF Representative to

Georgia

Investing in nutrition is a smart investment

Current nutrition situation and landscape:• As of 2014, 36 per cent of children in sub-

Saharan Africa were stunted • Absolute number of stunted children in the

region is increasing over time • Costs – not only to the physical and mental

well-being of young Africans – but to their societies too

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UNITLIFE – an innovative funding mechanism

• Tax on extractive industry revenues such as oil, gold, uranium

• Launched at UNGA in September 2015; founding members: Congo, Guinea, Mali, Niger

• “Made-in-Africa” solution — a bold demonstration of African leadership to tackle a challenge that affects so many … and to promote sustainable growth and wellbeing across the continent

Fight against stunting and other forms of malnutrition in sub-Saharan Africa:

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African extractive industry as revenue source

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UNITLIFE Programmatic Framework

• Programme framework to build on the awareness and political commitment generated by SUN

• Organizations already active in nutrition programming, linked to SUN, should be able to submit proposals

• UNITLIFE aims to support the implementation for nutrition-specific interventions which were described in The Lancet (proven effectiveness).

Fight against stunting and other forms of malnutrition in sub-Saharan Africa:

Proven high impact nutrition-specific interventions

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Intervention

Preconception Folic acid supplementation

Pregnancy Multiple micronutrient supplementation for pregnant women / IFACalcium supplementation

Balanced energy-protein supplementation

Breastfeeding Promotion of breastfeeding

Preventative Complementary feeding for food secure and insecure populationsVitamin A supplementation (6-59 months)

Preventative zinc supplementation*

Curative Zinc for treatment of diarrhoea

Feeding for children with MAM

Therapeutic feeding for severe wasting

All Universal salt iodisation*

Source: Bhutta et al., 2013; Adapted from Table 5.1 Global Nutrition report, 2014. [* includes universal salt iodisation and zinc treatment for diarrhoea]

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UNITLIFE Governance Structure

• Governed by Steering Committee, comprising contributing governments, nutrition partners foundations, CSOs, private sector, UN

• Technical Secretariat to be located in Geneva• UNICEF as host is firewalled with independent

Technical Advisory Group (the “TAG”) and an independent Fiduciary Management Advisor (the “FMA”)

UNICEF as host of the Trust Fund:

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UNITLIFE Challenges and Risks

• Public Policy Implications and Reputational Risks

– Additionality: There is a risk that the proposed mechanism would divert local resources away from addressing malnutrition in contributing countries

– The fund is intended to mitigate such risks

• Risk of duplication or diversion of nutrition funds

– Complementarity– The funds will generate new funding in addition to ODA

UNITLIFE Challenges and Risks

Working with Extractive Industries

• Reputational risks associated with poor governance records of participating countries

• Risks associated with poor regulatory oversight and governance in the extractive industries sector of participating countries

• Consultations with civil society and other agencies

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Malnutrition in Georgia

• Over 1/3rd of pregnant women and children in Georgia suffer from micronutrient deficiencies– Anemia: 25.6% of pregnant women and among the causes for

high maternal mortality (36 per 100,000)– Folic acid deficiency: 36.6% of reproductive age women– Anemia below 5 years of age: 22.8%– Stunting: 11.3%

• National burden of malnutrition over 10 years– USD 1.3 billion– Approximately 3400 premature deaths

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For more information, please contactSascha GraumannUNICEF Representative to Georgia

United Nations Children’s Fund9 Eristavi str. UN House Tbilisi, 0179, Georgia Tel: 032 2 23 23 88www.unicef.ge

© United Nations Children’s FundOctober 2015

Cover photo © UNICEF/NYHQ2009-1183/Randriambola (Girl jumping rope)