Peru’s Minister of Development and Social Inclusion, Paola Bustamante, today announced that, at the request of other countries, Peru will send some government officials abroad to share some successful experiences in the reduction of chronic child malnutrition.
The announcement was made after a week-long working tour of Lima and Ayacucho aimed at intensifying the progress made on that matter, in conjunction with representatives from Guatemala, El Salvador, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Senegal, and other countries committed to Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN).
It should be noted that Peruvian First Lady, Nadine Heredia, took part in this action too.
“We have been requested to travel to their nations in order to extend our knowledge. Peru has made the commitment and we are looking to start in Guatemala and El Salvador whenever it is deemed appropriate,” she said.
The Scaling Up Nutrition Movement (SUN) movement involves more than 40 countries. Peru signaled its commitment to join it on 19 November 2010, and the Ministry of Development and Social Inclusion was established in October 2011.
"They highlight how our country managed to articulate, as part of a process of decentralization, intersectoral and intergovernmental work with regional and local governments, in particular the involvement of families wanting to see their children well fed and happy" she added.
Moreover, the government official pointed out that the abovementioned foreign visitors have recognized the joint work between the Ministries of Health, Finance and that of Development and Social Inclusion (Midis).
According to SUN, the country’s approach to nutrition governance has two main functions. One is to implement five major social programs to address social exclusion, vulnerability and poverty.
The other function is to ensure inter-sectoral coordination for the implementation of the National Development and Social Inclusion System.
The national CRECER strategy, led by the Ministry for Development and Social Inclusion (MIDIS) started in 2007 and established a system of geographical targeting of interventions and coordination across programs to fight malnutrition, and acts as the common results framework for nutrition.
The Ministry of Development and Social Inclusion has built upon its Growth Strategy and established the ‘Inclusive Growth’ Strategy (CRECER PARA INCLUIR) to further emphasize the social inclusion component of the original strategy.
Five major social programs under CRECER PARA INCLUIR along with the Comprehensive Health Insurance System together are the main vehicles for addressing child malnutrition. These are complemented by programs focusing on food security and water, and sanitation and hygiene (WASH).
(END) MDV/MVF/RMB
Published: 9/14/2014