Ottawa, CANADA — Nutrition International is proud to announce that Dr. Shabina Raza, Nutrition International’s Country Director for Pakistan, has been selected to serve on the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement Executive Committee to oversee the implementation of the Movement’s 3.0 strategy (2021-2025). Dr. Raza will hold one of the three seats dedicated to additional regional, sub-regional and national representation from SUN countries, serving until July 2026.

Malnutrition hinders the progress of countries, communities and individuals, leading to reduced health, human capital and economic costs. Despite this, the world is currently off track to achieve the 2025 Sustainable Development Goals. The announcement of the new Executive Committee comes at a critical period as the global nutrition community prepares to advance the nutrition agenda at the upcoming SUN Global Gathering in November 2024, followed by the Nutrition for Growth Summit in March 2025.

“Leveraging my experience and networks, I aim to advance accountability, inclusivity and evidence-based decision making to drive progress towards global nutrition targets.

—Dr. Shabina Raza, Country Director for Pakistan, Nutrition International

“I am truly excited about my role as a member of the SUN Executive Committee,” said Dr. Shabina Raza, Country Director for Pakistan, Nutrition International. “Leveraging my experience and networks, I aim to advance accountability, inclusivity and evidence-based decision making to drive progress towards global nutrition targets. Together, the goal is to tackle malnutrition comprehensively and ensure collective impact.”

The SUN Movement Executive Committee, first established in 2010, plays a crucial role in steering global efforts to combat malnutrition by:

• Ensuring the SUN Movement is integrated into national frameworks and is responsive to country needs
• Promoting nutrition and food security as share responsibilities across stakeholders
• Prioritizing support for fragile and crisis-affected countries
• Developing the SUN 4.0 strategy

As part of the committee, Dr. Raza will contribute to strategic oversight, advocate for nutrition priorities, foster multisectoral collaboration and promote ethical engagement within the SUN Movement. The appointment followed an extensive nomination process and received the endorsement of the SUN Movement Lead Group. Dr. Raza’s expertise and dedication to improving nutrition outcomes have been pivotal to Nutrition International’s mission. Her appointment to the Executive Committee reflects her significant contributions, including her leadership in the SUN Civil Society Alliance Pakistan, support for multisector nutrition strategies and mandatory food fortification laws, as well as her advocacy for breastfeeding legislation and collaboration with national and technical working groups.

Nutrition International has been a dedicated partner in the Scaling Up Nutrition Movement, supporting country-led efforts to improve nutrition and advocating for evidence-based solutions to combat global malnutrition. From 2015-2021 Nutrition International provided technical assistance to 17 SUN countries in Africa and Asia through 68 assignments. More recently, in July 2024, Nutrition International hosted the SUN Civil Society Network Asia Regional Meeting in Indonesia, convening over 40 participants from 15 countries to share best practices aimed at reducing malnutrition across the continent.

The SUN Executive Committee is scheduled to meet quarterly to discuss key issues, with the first meeting planned for the third quarter of 2024.