The WHO/UNICEF Discussion Paper on Extending the 2025 Maternal, Infant and Young Child Nutrition Targets to 2030 outlines a critical policy framework for achieving long-term nutrition outcomes. Originally adopted at the 65th World Health Assembly, the 2025 targets aim to reduce child stunting and wasting, lower anaemia in women, decrease low birth weight, improve breastfeeding rates, and halt childhood overweight. This paper proposes extended targets to 2030, accounting for current progress trends and the integration of nutrition within the broader Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The paper provides detailed justifications for each extended target and suggests realistic benchmarks for countries to adopt, based on historical data and performance across nations. It emphasizes that malnutrition is a global issue, requiring coordinated multi-sectoral action and investment. The proposed targets are meant to inspire ambition without being unattainable, thus supporting countries in developing sustainable strategies for maternal and child nutrition. The paper serves as both a roadmap and a call for accountability in nutrition programming and policy planning.
Resource type:
Advocacy and policy