Disclaimer: This How-To Guide provides at-a-glance information about concepts and strategies that connect different sectors. It is not intended to be comprehensive and is not officially endorsed by any organization. It is a “sign post” document that indicates key concepts and suggests where to look for further information. Read more. 

Nutrition is important to social protection because it supports human capital across generations. Social protection is important to nutrition because it provides delivery systems to reach nutritionally vulnerable people. 

Jump to: What to look for | How does it help | More information

What to Know & Look For

• Typically led by governments, a social protection system is underpinned by a national vision, with actors coordinating to support strategies, policies and programs.
• Where nutrition “sits” in government structure varies by country. Often it is a distinct department in the Ministry of Health; some countries have established cross-sectoral committees – often under the Prime Minister or President – that pull from each ministry.
• Where nutrition sits will affect the opportunity and ease of cross-sectoral collaboration.
• In addition to the government entity, over 50 countries are now aligned with the Scaling Up Nutrition Global Movement. Often these countries have established networks involving government stakeholders, NGOs, civil society organizations (CSOs) and the private sector.
• Typically, there are many International Organizations (IOs), International Non-Governmental Organizations (INGOs), and local NGOs working in collaboration with government to deliver nutrition interventions.
• Community Health Workers (CHWs) and other community leaders can be important resources, and may have already received nutrition training.

How does it help

• Improve social protection coordination by establishing or identifying a coordinating ministry or agency.
• Build policy coordination and strategic alignment between social protection and nutrition.
• Identify ways to incorporate nutrition-sensitive principles to the social protection system, such as in the analysis that informs development of social protection, social protection objectives, program and monitoring frameworks.
• Identify partners able to assist in implementation and delivery.
• Build relationships with appropriate sectoral stakeholders.

More Information

• Regional Social Protection Platforms such as:
  http://africapsp.org/
• Levinson and Balarajan 2013 – Addressing Malnutrition Multisectorally
  http://www.securenutrition.org/resources/addressing-malnutrition-multisectorally-what-have-we-learned-recent-international-experience
• Scaling Up Nutrition Global Movement
  http://scalingupnutrition.org/
• WBG 2013 – Improving Nutrition Through Multisectoral Approaches
  http://www.securenutrition.org/resources/improving-nutrition-through-multisectoral-approaches
• SecureNutrition Social Protection case study database
  LINK

This How-To Guide is intended to support those who design and implement nutrition-sensitive programs. It will be reviewed twice yearly by SecureNutrition staff at the World Bank and by individual technical partners. The last time the How-To Guide was updated was 1 April 2016. We welcome your suggestions: Contact us

We recommend that any project and/or program manager seeking to design or implement a nutrition-sensitive project seek the assistance of a nutrition specialist.