Working together to end malnutrition

The SUN Civil Society Network connects and supports over 4,000 members around the globe who are fighting to end malnutrition.

Our collective ambitions for the well-being of People and Planet: Sustainable, equitable and nourishing food systems for all

Discover SUN CSN’s joint declaration to reclaim our Food Systems!

As the UN Food Systems Summit+2 Stocktaking moment united world leaders, experts, and stakeholders to confront food systems challenges, we recognized a pivotal opportunity to shape a brighter, healthier future for all. As a result of this 3-days Summit, a Call to Action for accelerated Food Systems Transformation was issued.

Unfortunately, this statement fell short of our expectations. We felt compelled to issue a reactive statement that illuminates significant gaps within the UNFSS+2 declaration, underlining the pressing need for a nutrition-centric approach to food systems transformation. We firmly believe that achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and eradicating malnutrition necessitate a collective commitment to prioritizing nutrition, empowering local communities, and ensuring accountability at every level.

With a steadfast focus on fortifying local food systems, advocating sustainable and regenerative practices, amplifying civil society’s role, and fostering private sector accountability, our statement champions transformative change. Join us in advocating for a world where nourishing sustenance is accessible to all, where food systems are resilient and equitable, and where no one is marginalized.

Engage with our statement, immerse yourself in our call to action, and become a part of the movement toward a healthier, more sustainable, and nourishing future for generations to come. Together, let’s address the gaps in global food systems and pave the path to a future of meaningful progress.

We are all accountable

One year on from the Nutrition for Growth summit, we have launched a social accountability campaign to support the SUN CSN Members to uphold accountability at the local and national levels, in synergy with the work of the Nutrition Accountability Framework (NAF).

Check out the video to see who is involved in the campaign!

Civil society can add tremendous value to the work of the NAF by empowering grassroots communities to understand their rights and speak out where duty-bearers are failing on their responsibilities and commitments to end malnutrition and working constructively with decision-makers to support delivery of commitments made in 2021. 

Why we do it

1 in 3 people worldwide are affected by malnutrition.

Good nutrition – a healthy, balanced and adequate diet – is a matter of life or death and the difference between surviving and thriving. Without correct nutrition, millions of people are affected by fatal illnesses, learning difficulties, stunted growth, challenges in pregnancy and more.

The world has made progress in addressing undernutrition. But the progress has not been fast enough – malnutrition is still commonplace in many countries around the world.

The people who are affected cannot change this situation alone. Civil society organisations need to come together and use their skills, experience and influence to improve the lives of millions of malnourished people.

144 million

children worldwide are affected by stunted growth

47 million

children are dangerously underweight

Only 51%

of children aged 6-23 months eat the recommended minimum number of daily meals

1 in 3 women

of reproductive age, due to malnutrition, have an iron deficiency that can cause disabilities in babies

Who we are

The Civil Society Network is part of Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN), a world-wide Movement to end malnutrition.

Our network is made up of civil society organisations – diverse, non-profit groups including human rights defenders, community organisations, women’s groups, small farmers, research entities, child rights organisations and more.

The network has approximately 4000 member organisations who are part of the global network or one of our country alliances or CSAs (civil society alliances).

What we do

The SUN Civil Society Network Secretariat supports network members in three key areas – campaigning, fundraising and governance.

Campaigning

Supporting SUN Civil Society Alliances as they work to influence governments and private sector organisations in the fight against malnutrition.

Fundraising

Advising SUN Civil Society Alliances on how to raise funds for their work.

Governance

Helping members to establish, manage and grow their SUN Civil Society Alliances into credible and ethical coalitions.

How we support our network

Learning & networking events

Our network is all about working together, so we hold training events, along with global conferences and regional events that help members to make new connections and to give the skills they need for specific goals and activities.

Advice

When members need assistance with specific challenges, they can request advice in areas like fundraising, communications and campaigning.

Resource library

We have a growing online library of resources that can help SUN Civil Society Alliances with their initiatives. The resources include newsletters, manuals, toolkits, communications templates and more.

Online meetings

Webinars and monthly conference calls help our members to stay updated and coordinate their efforts. Through close collaboration, we can expand our influence and build on our strengths.

Help us fight malnutrition

Join the network

Join the network

Latest news

All news
December 4, 2023

CSN marks 2 years on the Nutrition for Growth (N4G) Summit

On the 2nd anniversary of the Nutrition for Growth (N4G) Summit hosted in Tokyo on 7 December 2021, where USD $27 billion were pledged to reduce global malnutrition, civil society leads by example in reporting on progress.  Alexandra Newlands, Head of SUN CSN wrote a blog celebrating CSN’s progress against its own commitments with a […]

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September 6, 2023

Our collective ambitions for the well-being of People and Planet: Sustainable, equitable and nourishing food systems for all

As the UN Food Systems Summit+2 Stocktaking moment united world leaders, experts, and stakeholders to confront food systems challenges, we recognized a pivotal opportunity to shape a brighter, healthier future for all. As a result of this 3-days Summit, a Call to Action for accelerated Food Systems Transformation was issued. Unfortunately, this statement fell short […]

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August 22, 2023

Empowering local voices at the Micronutrient Forum 6th Global Conference: A critical role in shaping the global agenda on nutrition resilience

By Alexandra Newlands, Head of the Scaling Up Nutrition Civil Society Network & Irshad Danish, Senior Advocacy Adviser at Nutrition International, and Chair of the Scaling Up Nutrition Civil Society Network With the contributions of Tanuja Rastogi, Director of Advocacy & Communications, Micronutrient Forum At the forefront of our journey towards a healthier and more […]

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