Over 80 representatives of the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Civil Society Alliances (CSAs) from 22 countries across West, Central Africa, and the islands of Comoros and Madagascar gathered in Lagos, Nigeria, for the annual regional meeting aimed at accelerating progress on nutrition.
Held from June 9 to 14, the meeting, themed “A Stronger Civil Society to Accelerate Progress on Nutrition,” brought together a diverse coalition of civil society actor to reflect on regional nutrition challenges and strategize on scaling impactful, community-driven solutions.
The delegates acknowledged that despite significant global and regional efforts, malnutrition remains a persistent crisis, especially for women and children in vulnerable communities. They noted that multiple crises—conflict, climate change, food insecurity, and weak health and social systems—continue to hinder progress, compounded by unsustainable financing and insufficient community engagement.
In a joint statement, the civil society representatives reaffirmed their commitment to working with governments, donors, UN agencies, private sector actors, and communities to end malnutrition in all its forms.
“We are committed to strengthening our collaboration, sharing knowledge, and advocating for multisectoral and inclusive nutrition policies anchored in human rights and accountability,” the communiqué read.
Key Commitments from the Meeting Include:
- Sharing best practices and resources to influence national nutrition policies and budgets
- Advocating for integrated nutrition strategies across agriculture, education, health, climate, and social systems
- Amplifying the voices of women, youth, indigenous groups, and other marginalized populations
- Holding stakeholders accountable for fulfilling their nutrition commitments
- Demonstrating civil society’s own accountability toward the 2030 nutrition goals
The meeting also called on governments to:
- Create enabling environments for civil society participation in nutrition governance
- Recognize the SUN CSAs’ catalytic role in shaping policies and programmes
- Offset partner budget cuts by increasing domestic funding for nutrition
Similarly, regional institutions and the private sector were urged to invest in the institutional strengthening and financial autonomy of CSAs, while technical and financial partners were called upon to sustain and scale up their support to protect past gains and accelerate future progress.
The assembly applauded the Nigerian government’s support in hosting the regional meeting and expressed deep appreciation to the Nigeria SUN Civil Society Alliance for its coordination and hospitality.
The gathering concluded with renewed resolve:
“We leave Lagos strengthened, aligned, and mobilized to fast-track progress in the fight against malnutrition across West and Central Africa and the Islands.”
The SUN Movement, which now spans 67 countries, remains a driving force behind multisectoral efforts to combat malnutrition globally.
