Partnering to Reduce Child Undernutrition

Partnering to Reduce Child Undernutrition

1,000 Days: Change a Life, Change the Future

Opening Intervention

Mr Micheál Martin, T.D., Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ireland

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Thank you, Secretary Clinton for those inspiring words.

And, I would like to echo your thanks to Secretary-General BAN Ki-Moon for his intervention and endorse his call for action on Scaling Up Nutrition.

As Secretary Clinton noted, it is of both historical and contemporary importance to Ireland and the United States that we have joined together at this critical juncture in the battle against hunger and undernutrition. Our two countries are bound together by our shared history - a history that witnessed hundreds of thousands of Irish people fleeing hunger at home and finding refuge in this country, where they built new lives.

It is Ireland’s own history of famine that echoes through the generations and drives our commitment to fighting poverty and hunger. And it is appropriate that Ireland and the United States build on our shared past, and work in partnership with the developing world.

Two years ago, almost to the day, we launched the Irish Government’s Hunger Task Force Report here in the United Nations. This seminal report set out the practical steps we can take to eradicate hunger.

Simply put, it called for action

·         -to support smallholder farmers,

·         -to target maternal and infant under-nutrition,

·         -and to generate political leadership and action.

By doing all three, the Report told us that we can accelerate progress on MDG One, to halve extreme hunger and poverty by 2015.

We meet this week as a global community to review the progress that we are making towards the Millennium Development Goals, and in particular the fight against hunger and undernutrition. We know that a failure to address the hunger dimension of MDG One will erode all of our efforts across the full range of the MDGs.

The short film we have just watched communicates powerfully the challenges, and the real difference we can make to a child’s life if we act decisively in the first 1000 days.

Undernutrition remains one of the world’s most serious but least addressed problems. And yet, proven and low-cost interventions do exist.

Today we heard how the 1,000 day movement and the Scaling-Up Nutrition roadmap provide us with an historic opportunity to realise MDG One, and through it all the MDGs.

The 1,000 day movement will focus on those countries and regions which are making least progress. Today, we are launching – in this most inclusive way – a new partnership process.

We recognise the central role of the UN Secretary-General in the SUN initiative. His leadership in this process is vital. 

Ireland will play its part.  We are determined to work with our partners to deliver this action plan.  We will support plans and actions that are owned and led by our partner countries. We will encourage the scale up of national programmes. And we will review our own development programmes through the lens of nutrition. 

Today, we accept the 1000 Day Challenge.  To change lives and to change the future.     

We must recognise that mothers and fathers in their households are at the heart of this change. We must build partnerships to support them.  Partnerships that bring together community organisations, the private sector, civil society, local authorities and national governments. 

In the Irish language we say “Ní neart go chur le cheile” which means “strength in unity”.  Let us approach our work this morning in this spirit.

It is my great honour to introduce Mr. Sam Kuteesa (Ku-Tey-za), Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uganda.

Uganda is demonstrating leadership on nutrition at national level. It is integrating nutrition into its agriculture and health strategies, and its development plans.  Minister Kuteesa, could you share with us your vision and commitment to improving nutrition for Ugandan women and children.

ENDS+++

21 September 2010