About the SUN Civil Society Network

The SUN Civil Society Network brings together over 4,000 members in over 50 countries across the globe.

Our goals

As part of the Scaling Up Nutrition Movement (SUN), the SUN Civil Society Network (SUN CSN) is working to raise the voices of those who are affected by malnutrition. Our primary purpose is to end malnutrition globally by 2030.

The network contributes to this cause through five strategic objectives:

  • Objective 1 – Civil Society Space: Promote meaningful civil society representation and engagement, especially from the most marginalised, across the SUN Movement and beyond. 
  • Objective 2 – An Enabling Environment:  Advocate for improved financial, policy and legal action on nutrition, and hold all stakeholders accountable.
  • Objective 3 – Network Sustainability: Drive sustainability across the CSN by equipping the Network’s structures with the skills and resources they need to deliver on their workplans and address the challenges they face.   
  • Objective 4 – Programme Delivery: Scale up effective nutrition interventions and sensitisation at community level. 
  • Objective 5 – Evidence & Learning: Generate evidence and use it to inform decisions and scale promising interventions. 

Our impact

How are we helping to end malnutrition?

Campaigning

In Pakistan, a SUN Civil Society Alliance between 150 civil society organisations organised a campaign called Invest in Nutrition. It gained mass media coverage and influenced the government to allocate a three-year budget towards nutrition.

Increasing reach and influence

In Kenya, new SUN Civil Society Network county chapters were established, and four county and national nutrition plans were developed. And in Laos, a new SUN Civil Society Alliance helped run the first ever National Nutrition Forum, successfully engaging all levels of government.

Getting media coverage

By gaining media coverage wherever possible, we help people suffering from malnutrition to have their voices heard.

In Zambia, Kenya and Zimbabwe, SUN Civil Society Network organisations have improved media coverage by holding training sessions with journalists. And in Tanzania and Ethiopia, award ceremonies are being held to recognize effective coverage of nutrition issues.

Creating learning opportunities

In 2017, the first SUN Civil Society Alliance was launched in the Philippines. In addition, we recently brought together 6 alliances for the first time in Indonesia, 9 alliances for a Learning Route in Rwanda and 14 alliances for a workshop in Senegal.

How are we governed

The SUN Civil Society Network is governed by a steering group of representatives from different member organisations across the globe, overseen by a chair and vice-chair. The steering group is responsible for network decision-making, with guidance from SUN Civil Society Alliances in SUN countries.

The day-to-day work of the network is coordinated by the SUN Civil Society Network secretariat, currently hosted by Save the Children UK.

How we are funded

The SUN Civil Society Network receives financial support from our donor partners. This funding ensures we’re able to provide an effective secretariat to support and galvanise civil society in a collective effort to end malnutrition.

Our incredible donor partners are Irish Aid and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation.

Our donors
Irish aid Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC

The secretariat team

Alexandra Newlands

Alexandra Newlands

Head of SUN CSN Secretariat

Alexandra focuses on:

  • Managing the Secretariat’s team members and workplan
  • Managing relations with the SUN Movement Secretariat and other SUN networks
  • Leading CSN engagement with SUN 3.0 strategy
  • Leading engagement with Nutrition for Growth summit and its preparations
Barbara Rehbinder

Barbara Rehbinder

Senior Advisor

Barbara focuses on:

  • Managing SUN CSN’s regional coordination work, and the Secretariat’s support to our civil society alliances
  • Leading our global governance processes
  • Working with head on team on strategy and engaging with the other SUN networks
  • Working with head of team to lead the network’s advocacy plans
Nazgol Kafai

Nazgol Kafai

Senior Impact & Evidence Advisor

Nazgol focuses on:

  • Managing global level MEAL, Knowledge Management, and the SUN CSN Technical Assistance programme
  • Providing technical assistance on MEAL and KM to country alliances
  • Supporting the Asia regional group and a range of CSAs globally
  • Organising learning events and trainings for CSAs
Andy Rooke

Andy Rooke

Senior Development & Sustainability Advisor

Andy focuses on:

  • Leading of the CSN fundraising and sustainability capacity, systems and tools.
  • Developing the CSN fundraising and sustainability strategic approach.
  • Coordinating the Pooled Fund to CSAs
  • Leading on design and supervision of CSN competitive grant initiatives
  • Supporting the Asia regional group and a range of CSAs globally
Sean Counihan

Sean Counihan

Senior Advocacy & Youth Advisor

Sean focuses on:

  • Managing the Youth Leaders 4 Nutrition Programme and supporting our youth leaders in their local, national, and global advocacy efforts
  • Working with SUN movement stakeholders and CSN members to mainstream youth participation and leadership across all levels of the movement
  • Supporting CSAs to adapt global advocacy plans and develop national-level advocacy strategies, and developing tailored resources to suit specific contexts
Michèle Semaan

Michèle Semaan

Senior Communications Officer

Michèle focuses on:

  • Supporting alliances with their communication strategies
  • Delivering the SUN CSN’s communication strategy
  • Creating and delivering a social media plan for the SUN CSN Secretariat’s social channels
  • Support the Western and Central Africa Region

 

Carolina Turriago Borrero

Carolina Turriago Borrero

Senior Regional Adviser for Latin America & the Caribbean

Carolina focuses on:

  • Leading on the Network’s strategy implementation at the regional level
  • Ensuring that CSAs have access to the information, opportunities and technical assistance they need to deliver their plans and to contribute to multi-sectoral efforts to address malnutrition
  • Fostering a culture of cross-country and cross-regional learning exchanges
  • Leveraging advocacy opportunities for nutrition at the regional level and supports countries in their advocacy activities
  • Ensuring synergies with the SUN Movement Global Secretariat regional hub
Bessie Ndovi

Bessie Ndovi

Senior Regional Adviser for Eastern & Southern Africa

Bessie focuses on:

  • Leading on the Network’s strategy implementation at the regional level
  • Ensuring that CSAs have access to the information, opportunities and technical assistance they need to deliver their plans and to contribute to multi-sectoral efforts to address malnutrition
  • Fostering a culture of cross-country and cross-regional learning exchanges
  • Leveraging advocacy opportunities for nutrition at the regional level and supports countries in their advocacy activities
  • Ensuring synergies with the SUN Movement Global Secretariat regional hub
François Yaovi AMEDE MEGNAN

François Yaovi AMEDE MEGNAN

Senior Regional Adviser for West & Central Africa

François focuses on:

  • Leading on the Network’s strategy implementation at the regional level
  • Ensuring that CSAs have access to the information, opportunities and technical assistance they need to deliver their plans and to contribute to multi-sectoral efforts to address malnutrition
  • Fostering a culture of cross-country and cross-regional learning exchanges
  • Leveraging advocacy opportunities for nutrition at the regional level and supports countries in their advocacy activities
  • Ensuring synergies with the SUN Movement Global Secretariat regional hub
Emilita “Emily” MONVILLE-ORO

Emilita “Emily” MONVILLE-ORO

Senior Regional Adviser for Asia

Emily focuses on:

  • Leading on the Network’s strategy implementation at the regional level
  • Ensuring that CSAs have access to the information, opportunities and technical assistance they need to deliver their plans and to contribute to multi-sectoral efforts to address malnutrition
  • Fostering a culture of cross-country and cross-regional learning exchanges
  • Leveraging advocacy opportunities for nutrition at the regional level and supports countries in their advocacy activities
  • Ensuring synergies with the SUN Movement Global Secretariat regional hub

The Steering Group

Muhammad Irshad Danish

Muhammad Irshad Danish

Chair of the Steering Group

An International Development professional with over 22 years of experience in policy advocacy, public health nutrition, and international legal frameworks. His expertise centers on health and nutrition advocacy, human rights, and child rights governance. He has held senior positions in organizations like Save the Children International, SPARC, and Children First, successfully implementing large-scale public health and human rights projects supported by international donors and UN agencies. 

Callum Northcote

Callum Northcote

Vice Chair of the Steering Group

Callum Northcote is the Head of Hunger and Nutrition (Global Policy, Advocacy and Research) at Save the Children UK. Callum leads Save the Children UK’s policy and advocacy on nutrition, managing a team of 5 experts. He is an active member of numerous sector working groups, both in the UK and globally, and has been vice-chair of the SUN CSN since February 2023. Callum has vast experience in policy and advocacy and previous work experience includes working for RESULTS UK and the Scottish Government as well as being on the board of International Service.

Georgine Obwana

Georgine Obwana

CSA Representative for Uganda

A journalist by profession, Georgine has a vast experience in health communication. She is a communications specialist currently working as the Senior Programs Officer at the Civil Society Alliance for Nutrition Uganda (CISANU). She has led a successful online Breastfeeding campaigns raising awareness through strategically coordinating media campaigns. She manages and steers the secretariat of a network of organizations that form CISANU. 

Yvonne Takang

Yvonne Takang

CSA Representative for Senegal

 Yvonne is the Regional Advocacy Advisor for Action Against Hunger’s Regional Office for West and Central Africa. For over 15 years she has campaigned and lobbied in favour of food sovereignty, food security and good governance within the agriculture and rural development sector. One of her main missions is supporting and building capacity of staff and partner organisations including local civil society organisations to better influence decision makers and policies in the fight against hunger and malnutrition. 

Edward Jusu

Edward Jusu

CSA Representative for Sierra Leone

Edward is the National Coordinator of the Sierra Leone Alliance Against Hunger and Malnutrition (SLAAHM) since 2012. SLAAHM is a founding member of SUN Civil Society Platform on Nutrition and Immunization (SUNI) and Edward is a National Steering Committee Member in 2015.
As head of SLAAHM, he provided the leadership in 2016 in collaboration with other partners and successfully advocated for the explicit inclusion of Right to Food in the current Draft National Constitution of Sierra Leone.

Dorothy Monza

Dorothy Monza

Youth Representative

Dorothy is a Senior Associate for Nutrition and Child Health at RESULTS and spearheads the design and implementation of the nutrition policy advocacy strategy with the U.S. government, global agencies, and U.S. grassroots advocates. She is also the U.S. focal point for nutrition and child health in the ACTION Global Health Advocacy Partnership, a partnership of 14 locally rooted organizations across five continents. 

Christine Campeau

Christine Campeau

Global Member Representative for CARE

Christine is the Global Advocacy Director for Food and Nutrition Systems at CARE, where she leads the execution of CARE’s global policy and advocacy on food and water systems at global, regional, and national levels.  She also serves on the Scaling up Nutrition (SUN) Movement’s Executive Committee, which acts on behalf of the SUN Movement Lead Group to oversee the implementation of the Movement’s strategy for SUN 3.0 (2021-2025). 

John Otieno

John Otieno

Global Member Representative for Action Against Hunger

John is the Regional Advocacy Officer for Action Against Hunger for Horn, East and Southern Africa with over 12 years of experience in the development and humanitarian world in Horn and East Africa. He is currently coordinating the Regional Advocacy work of Somalia, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Kenya and Haiti. He supports efforts to influence policies and practices while fostering relationships with Government and decision makers to achieve advocacy objectives.

Robyn Bright

Robyn Bright

Global Member Representative for Nutrition International

Robyn Bright is an international development and policy advocacy professional, based in Ottawa, Canada. Her 20-year career has brought her from Parliament Hill to the streets of Phnom Penh, and from rural Liberia to the UN’s peacebuilding office in Geneva, in roles spanning government relations, resource mobilization and policy advocacy. She is currently the Director, Global Advocacy, at Nutrition International, responsible for helping to shape global nutrition priorities and approaches, and support country-lead action on women’s and girls’ nutrition.

Carmen Tse

Carmen Tse

Global Member Representative for World Vision International

Carmen is the Senior Nutrition Technical Advisor within the Global Health and Nutrition Team at World Vision InternationalHer expertise in nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive approaches comes from her 14 years of technical assistance serving Asia and Africa within nutrition and multisector technical teams.   Carmen has worked in both stable and fragile contexts for programme design, monitoring and evaluation; developed nutrition tools and trainings (in-person and online) for community-based volunteers, practitioners and adolescents; facilitated capacity building and peer learning for integrated nutrition approaches, including Positive Deviance Hearth Plus; and supported development of World Vision’s nutrition advocacy campaign, ENOUGH.