UNICEF’s

Draft Action Framework

for Improving Young
Children’s Diets

Aashima Garg, Ph.D

Nut r i t i on S pe c i al i st, N Y H Q
Background: Why Action Frameworks?
• UNICEF’s IYCF Programme guide
(2011):
✎ Provides details on “what”
(evidence-based interventions) for
improving complementary feeding
✎ Lacks details on “how”
complementary feeding interventions
can be scaled up using systems
approach
• Evidence and programme experience, UNICEF’s
calls for a holistic approach to
improve complementary feeding framework for
outcomes, which involves: improving
✎ improving access to nutritious and safe young
complementary foods and optimal
complementary feeding practices
children’s diets
✎ implementing context-specific actions
addresses this
based on identified barriers and call from
enablers evidence to
✎ Scaling-up actions through various
delivery systems targeted at achieving
facilitate
nutrition outcomes for young children action
Development of Action Frameworks: Process

Evidence Developing Internal Refinement Still work in To be finalized

review and framework consultations and progress by April 2019
scoping of Outline for consensus alignment of (Ongoing
programmatic on structure, frameworks review-internal
approaches drivers and and external)
actions
(UNICEF HQ,
regional and
selected country
offices)
Target Audience
UNICEF specialists and program managers
in Nutrition and other sectors serving in
regional and country offices.

These frameworks will likely also prove

useful to governments and other nutrition
partners working with UNICEF towards the
goal of improved young children’s diets.
Framework Objective

Facilitate action-oriented programming for improving the

diets of young children (aged 6-23 months) based on drivers
and using multiple delivery systems.
 Improving young
children’s diets during
the complementary
feeding period

What do we need to
act on?
Improving Young Children’s Diets
during the complementary feeding period
Framework Outcome
Let’s look at the framework…
Situation Analysis
Combination of qualitative and quantitative data

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Data on Policy Landscape Programme Knowledge, Stakeholders’ Any other
complementary of Health, Service delivery Attitude and mapping reports and
feeding Nutrition, Social Practices published evidence
indicators protection and on food
(Status, trends Agriculture consumption and
and predictors) sectors (Others cost of diet
as relevant)
Delivering through systems to improve young children’s diets
DELIVERY SYSTEMS-overview

• Showcase how 4 delivery systems superimpose (bud out) on the

overall framework
Delivering through systems to improve young children’s diets
Complementary Feeding
Framework
Delivering through
Health Systems

Aashima Garg, Ph.D

Nut r i t i on S pe c i al i st, N Y H Q
Health System I Essential for achieving Complementary Feeding Outcomes
• Provides a vital platform to deliver quality services
and improve complementary feeding behaviours
• Provides important structured and unstructured
contact points for caregivers at facilities and in
community- influence behaviours and practices
• Health cadre and community volunteers contributes
to improved counseling and support at facility and
community level
• Need to build sustainable technical and functional
capacity of health cadre and community volunteers
(need for enhanced training modalities)- Don’t Train
and Hope
• Strengthening health system’s enabling environment
is a key influencer for improving service delivery for
children 6-23 months-
• Strengthen linkages between community and
facilities through SBCC
• Establish links between public and private
sector (through standards and accreditation)
Delivering through systems to improve young children’s diets
Drivers: Health and Nutrition Services

◎Access to preventative and curative health care and

nutrition services (e.g. CF counselling in health
centres or extension services)
◎Access to skilled support at facility and community
levels (e.g. counseling by nurses, community health
workers)
◎Access to affordable nutrition and health services
(e.g. availability of affordable health services through
social protection platforms)
Drivers: Caregivers’ Behaviours & Practices

◎Caregiver’s knowledge andbeliefs (e.g. lack of

knowledge by mothers/caregivers)
◎Feeding and care practices (e.g. responsive feeding
and during illness)
◎Utilization of
primary care and nutrition services (e.g.
attitudes and use of services available at health
centres)
◎Household dynamics (e.g. preferences/practices
around food sharing within household members)
◎Caregiver’s mental health (e.g. maternal depression)
Strategic actions through Health Systems
Thank you