Feeding Minds: 1,000 Days Plus

Nourishing Children with the Right Food at the Right Time in the Right Place

A GLOBAL FORUM UNDER THE AUSPICES OF

HER EXCELLENCY MRS SUZANNE MUBARAK

Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Egypt

21-22 February 2011

BACKGROUND During the summit on the Millennium Development Goals in

New York in September, world leaders joined in a concerted

call to action to end child undernutrition – especially during

the critical first 1,000 Days – from conception through age

two. A comprehensive plan was outlined that is backed by

governments, international organizations, the private sector

and scholars and nutritional experts.

It was announced that, as one of the next steps, a global

forum would be held under the auspices of Egypt’s First Lady,

Her Excellency Mrs Suzanne Mubarak, at the Bibliotheca

Alexandrina on 21-22 February 2011 organised by World

Food Programme in collaboration with the Egyptian Ministry

of Foreign Affairs and the Bibliotheca Alexandrina.

The forum will build on the outcomes of Bellagio, Italy where,

in July 2009, leaders and experts from around the world met

to discuss how the historic food security commitments in

L’Aquila could translate into practical strategies to reduce

food insecurity and malnutrition for children.

Among the outcomes of Bellagio, there was clear consensus

that food and nutrition safety nets, such as school meals and

mother and child nutrition programmes, are a critical tool to

tackle food insecurity, malnutrition, ensuring ensure food

access so children can realise their full potential. It was also

agreed that food and nutrition safety nets help nations create

significant economic returns on investment, stimulating the

local economy through local purchase, adding value through

the process.

The international community is increasingly recognising the

benefits of combining school health initiatives, such as de-

worming, with school meals programmes. And it sees these

programmes as potential as a platform to reach younger

children. In February 2010, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the

international community -- through the Education for All

(EFA) High Level Group Meeting Declaration -- underscored

the importance of school health, meals and nutrition

interventions to ensure that all children have access to

sufficient nutritious food.

The global forum “Feeding Minds: 1,000 Days Plus” will

bring together international leaders and decision makers as

well as experts in these fields to examine the importance food

plays in the full childhood nutrition lifecycle. This means

from the first 1,000 days -- where scientific knowledge about

the irreparable damage to children under two compels us to

act -- to also include best practices on school feeding and

health, with special attention required to the nutritional

needs of adolescent girls. We will also examine innovative

nutritional products and solutions and define a child-centric

view of how to improve childhood nutrition. The goal is to

articulate the need for a holistic approach to end the multi-

generational cycle of malnutrition.

Key questions will include:

• Recognizing the clear importance and scientific

consensus on adequate nutrition during the first 1,000

days, how do we ensure an overall healthy childhood

across all critical stages of development – including

pre-school, school years and adolescence, particularly

for girls?

• What nutrition policies, strategies and interventions

need to be prioritised and accelerated for different age

groups?

• What are the nutritional platforms and right nutrition

solutions, including foods for different age groups?

• What are the challenges and how can local and

international multi-sector partnerships, including the

private sector, help to create sustainable programmes

which maximise the potential for multiple impacts?

THE FORUM

The two-day event will begin with a high-level session,

inaugurated by Her Excellency Mrs Mubarak, who will deliver

a keynote speech. United Nations World Food Programme

Executive Director Josette Sheeran will outline the forum’s

goals and objectives. The session will feature addresses from

a number of high-level speakers, including the First Lady of

Rwanda, Her Excellency Mrs Jeannette Kagame.

An exhibition of Egypt’s national nutritional programmes –

from food banks through nutritional fortification and school

meals– will help inform discussions about best practices,

including innovative multi-sector partnerships with the

private sector, international organisations and civil society.

Following the inaugural session, a small group of world

leaders, national practitioners, public and private sector

partners and renowned experts in the fields of the first 1,000

Days nutrition, pre-school nutrition, school feeding and new

nutritional products and solutions will then retreat to

brainstorm on key questions, challenges, solutions and

strategy options for “1,000 days Plus.”

POTENTIAL OUTCOMES

1. Building upon global knowledge of the "1,000 days"

concept, and developing an understanding of national-

level platforms and policies across the "1,000 days

Plus" spectrum. An understanding of successful best

practices from countries showing positive gains on

improving child nutrition.

2. A consensus on what policies, strategies and

interventions need to be prioritised and accelerated to

maximise health and nutrition gains across the child

development spectrum.

3. An understanding of how to increase the availability of

affordable, sustainable and effective nutrition

solutions, including new, ready-to-use, nutritious

foods and the role of various stakeholders in scaling up

these solutions.

4. A high-level strategy for an inclusive child nutrition

strategy and an outline of actions and actors needed to

achieve the 1,000 Days Plus strategy.

THE STRUCTURE OF THE FORUM

Monday 21 February 2011

INAUGURAL SESSION - A global dialogue (Alexandria Conference Centre)

• Keynote address by H.E. Mrs Suzanne Mubarak

• Outline Forum goals and objectives by Ms Josette

Sheeran

• Remarks by H.E. Mrs Jeannette Kagame

GLOBAL VILLAGE RETREAT (Bibliotheca Alexandrina) A smaller group will retreat to the Bibliotheca Alexandrina to

participate in facilitated discussions that will take place in

interactive plenary sessions with each “village” focusing on

one of four themes –

1) The First 1,000 days

2) Adolescent girls

3) Pre-School and School Years

4) Nutritional Solutions.

Each village discussion will take place in plenary with a

specific group focusing on one of the four session topics. Each

session will have a high-level chair and key resources to help

guide the discussions.

Session 1: First 1,000 Days

• How well are the health and nutrition needs of children at this age being met?

• What and where are the current “gaps”? • How best can we fill these critical gaps?

Session 2: Adolescent Girls

• How well are the health and nutrition needs of children at this age being met?

• What and where are the current ‘gaps’? • How best can we fill these critical gaps?

Tuesday 22 February 2011

Session 3: Preschool and school years

• How well are the health and nutrition needs of children at this age being met?

• What and where are the current ‘gaps’? • How best can we fill these critical gaps?

Session 4: Nutritional Solutions • How well are nutrition solutions being deployed to

meet the needs of children of different age groups? • What are the current ‘gaps’? • How best can we fill these critical gaps?

Session 5: Identifying the Gaps • Review of ‘gaps’ in policies, strategies and

interventions that need to be prioritised and accelerated to maximize health and nutrition gains across the child development spectrum.

Session 6: Concluding Session A final concluding session will outline consensus areas on child nutrition from conception through school years.

• What have we learned and where do we have consensus?

• An outline of a holistic child-centric nutrition strategy • Next steps • Call to action