The GraƧa Machel Trust engages in nutrition advocacy at a country, regional, and global level, to elevate it as a development priority in Africa and help end hunger and stunting, achieve food security, improve health and promote sustainable agriculture. In its role at a global level, GMT has emphasised its advocacy work on nutrition and food security as a commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) towards Zero Hunger.
Through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundationās Nutrition Advocacy Fund, (NAF), the Trust was pleased to facilitate a meeting with the Gates Foundation, a great opportunity that saw representatives from three civil society nutrition alliances in Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia to participate in an advocacy training that took place in Washington DC in July 2015. This training aimed at strengthening communication channels and provided a platform where the national Civil Society Alliances openly spoke about the financial challenges they encounter in their advocacy work. This was a great opportunity because eleven CSAs secured one-year funding to help them continue with their advocacy work.
East and Southern Africa Civil Society Organisations National Budget Commitment to Nutrition Report
We have also seen a lot of impact in the region through our nutrition advocacy work. In June 2017, the GraƧa Machel Trust, through its partnerships with CARE International and the global Scaling Up Nutrition Civil Society Networks brought together representatives from Kenya, Malawi, Madagascar, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe national civil society alliances to network, share experiences and discuss the possibility of a regional hub covering East and Southern Africa SA).
The meeting took place in Maputo where the national civil society representatives unanimously voted to support the creation of and participation in a regional ESA CSN and agreed to the formation of the East and Southern Africa Civil Society Network in Maputo, Mozambique.
Through this, a capacity building training for the nine countries was conducted which focused on budget analysis and advocacy. A consultant was engaged to conduct a regional budget analysis study of the nine countries including Mozambique. The report findings were published and used as credible data and evidence for advocacy activities. Read moreā¦
The ESA National Budget Commitment to Nutrition Report has gained attraction globally. The International Coalition for Advocacy in Nutrition and the SUN Global Network have requested the report and endeavour to use it as a template or case study for other budget reports in various regions. This recognition and impact of the report will be documented as a regional success of the Trust and development partners.
The Trust supports and mobilises civil society networks on issues of ending child marriage, ending violence against children, ending female genital mutilation and promoting childrenās rights, to carry out advocacy and action across Africa. Special focus is placed on Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia where child marriage continues to be a problem largely driven by poverty, gender inequality, harmful traditional practices, conflict, low levels of literacy, limited opportunities for girls and weak or non-existent protective and preventive legal frameworks.
Education is a fundamental right for all children, which is also a vehicle for social, economic and political transformation in communities, countries and the African continent at large. Recent studies indicate a lack of progress in some of the critical commitments aimed at improving education quality, access, retention and achievement, particularly for girls. In most African countries, girls may face barriers to learning, especially when they reach post-primary levels of education. By implementing multi-dimensional approaches to education which includes core education, personal development, life skills and economic competencies, the Trust partners with funding partners, governments, civil societies and the private sector to improve education access.
The Nutrition and Reproductive, Maternal, New-born, Child and Adolescent Health and Nutrition, (RMNCAH+N) of the Childrenās Rights and Development Programme aims at promoting the Global Strategy for women, children and adolescentsā health within the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) agenda. The strategy emphasises on the importance of effective country leadership as a common factor across countries making progress in improving the health of women, children and adolescents.
Through its Early Childhood Development (ECD) plan, The Trust will seek to put into action the new science and evidence Report that was presented by Lancet Series on Good and early development – the right of every child. This will be achieved by mobilising like-minded partners to contribute in the new science and evidence to reach all young children with ECD. The Trustās goal is to be a catalyst for doing things differently, in particular, to rid fragmentation and lack of coordination across ECD sectors. In response to evidence showing the importance of political will in turning the tide against the current poor access and quality of ECD. Even before conception, starting with a motherās health and social economic conditions, the early years of a childās life form a fundamental foundation that determines whether a child will survive and thrive optimally.