In Viet Nam, women play a central role in agriculture, food systems and community life. In many contexts, they are not only producers, but also decision-makers and drivers of change. Yet, despite this strong participation, gaps in nutrition, health and access to resources persist – particularly as climate shocks place increasing pressure on livelihoods and food systems.
This video shows how civil society in Viet Nam is addressing these interconnected challenges through locally led solutions, driven by women: improving diets, strengthening maternal and child nutrition, and building more resilient food systems. These approaches are also informing action beyond Viet Nam through the SUN Civil Society Network’s flagship peer-to-peer learning programme.
From local solutions to global impact
At the SUN Civil Society Network, we believe that civil society and communities already hold the knowledge to address nutrition challenges – rooted in long-developed local experience. Our global peer-to-peer learning programme helps share this experience across borders, bringing civil society together to reflect on what works and on challenges. But the programme isn’t designed just to exchange ideas. Each participant is supported to develop concrete action plans tailored to their own contexts to achieve nutrition impact at scale.
In practice, this translates into concrete results: increased breastfeeding rates, community-led initiatives to rebuild local ecosystems, civil society and government working hand-in-hand to advance the nutrition and health of mothers and women farmers. These are just some of the successes that have grown from the ground up within our Network.
We can already see the fruits of their advocacy efforts. One of many examples following the first learning visit to Viet Nam in 2024 was the civil society alliance in Sierra Leone, who drew on what they had learned, helping establish the country’s first ever workplace lactation room. In 2026, Viet Nam was the venue again for another learning visit – and the action plans developed there are sure to have real impacts on people’s health and nutrition in the years to come.
These efforts show what is possible when nutrition is not treated in isolation, but connected to food systems, climate resilience and women’s empowerment – and when action is aligned at the community, national and global levels. By linking local innovation with global learning, the SUN Civil Society Network is helping turn proven solutions into lasting change – building food systems that are more resilient, more equitable, and better able to deliver for women, families and communities everywhere.
