Regional IYCF-E Capacity Mapping Assessment and Framework for Action

Kenya Somalia Somaliland South Sudan

Background

• The protection, promotion and support of adequate Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) practices is essential in emergencies due to the amplification of sub-optimal IYCF practices and escalated rates of child mortality and malnutrition

• The IYCF response in emergencies is often overlooked, from preparedness, policy and planning aspects to the actual execution of activities

• UNICEF and Save the Children have agreed to focus on IYCF-E as a key technical area in need of expert support and collaboration to achieve optimal results

IYCF-E Capacity Mapping Assessment

• Goal: Complete a capacity mapping exercise for IYCF-E in South Sudan, Kenya and Somalia• Identify good practices

• Identify key bottlenecks and gaps

• Inform governments about their current IYCF capacity needs

• Prepare an IYCF-E capacity development plan (IYCF Framework for Action) for these countries to accelerate MIYCN programming

• Assessment was conducted in February/March 2016

• Results were validated in January/February 2017

Methodology• The capacity mapping assessment was comprised of a framework

consisting of six pillars to analyze IYCF capacity:1. Policy and Plans on IYCF/IYCF-E2. Human resources capacity on Nutrition 3. Co-ordination mechanisms4. Information system/ Knowledge management5. Program delivery6. Budgeting and financing

• Data Collection Techniques: • Key informant interviews (Humanitarian NGO’s, Governments, Donors and media)• Analysis of NGO’s program evaluation reports (Both internal and external)• Review of documents particularly policies, strategies and action plans matrixes

Strengths Identified in East Africa IYCF-E Capacity Mapping Assessment

• All countries have some mechanisms for IYCF in place such as:– National IYCF guidelines and programs

– Joint statement or legislation of the code

– IYCF trainings and/or a mechanism to conduct trainings-some gov’t initiated others through partners

– Use of multiple communication channels for IYCF messages and participate in global activities like WBW

– Some form of M&E frameworks though reporting varies and doesn’t always include IYCF

– Active nutrition cluster or coordination mechanism

Gaps Identified in East Africa IYCF-E Capacity Mapping Assessment:

• Lack of inclusion of IYCF-E in national policies or training curriculums• Limited dissemination of national policies, legislation on the Code, etc. • Limited integration of IYCF-E with other sectors• Inability of NGO and health workers to differentiate between IYCF and

IYCF-E• No or limited monitoring of Breast Milk Substitute Code violations • Limited budget allocation to IYCF-E programming • Limited number of IYCF-E indicators to include in assessments • No system for data collection and monitoring for IYCF-E• IYCF-E is often not prioritized in cluster or coordination meetings

Validation of Results – Participants feed-back

• Overall workshop participants felt the assessment results accurately reflected the country situation

• In some cases participants noted the scores were over-rated or under-rated

• Adaptations were made to scores as per participant feedback to ensure the assessment accurately reflected the situation in each country

Results after Validation

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

Policy and Plans inIYCF/IYCF-E

Human resourcescapacity on Nutrition

Communicationa ndCo-ordinationMechanisms

InformationSystem/Knowledge

management

Program delivery Budgeting andFinancing

TOTAL

IYCF-E Capacity Mapping Assessment Results after Validation

Kenya Somalia Somaliland South Sudan

Regional IYCF-E Framework for action

SO1: IYCF/IYCF-E Policy Development and Dissemination

SO2: Human Resources and Training

SO3: Coordination, Advocacy and Communication

SO4: Resource Mobilization

SO5: Monitoring and evaluation (Information sharing and Knowledge management)

SO6: Targeting

SO7: Priority MIYCN program interventions

Country Prioritization

Kenya Somalia Somaliland South Sudan

SO3: Coordination, Advocacy and Communication

SO3: Coordination, Advocacy and Communication

SO1: IYCF/IYCF-E Policy Development and Dissemination and SO2: Human Resources and training

SO4: Resource Mobilization

SO4: Resource MobilizationSO5: Monitoring and Evaluation

SO3: Coordination, Advocacy and Communication

SO2: Human Resources and training and SO3: Coordination, Advocacy and Communication

SO2: Human Resources and training

SO6: Targeting SO4: Resource MobilizationSO7: Priority MIYCN Program Interventions

1. Ensure adequate reflection on IYCF-E under national IYCF policies and legislation

2. Integrate IYCF-E into training curriculums and budgets and build capacity of all technical and non-technical

staff in IYCF-E

3. Strengthen IYCF-E advocacy, communication and coordination

4. Ensure consensus behind country framework for action for IYCF-E

5. Include IYCF-E in initial rapid assessment procedures

6. Ensure enforcement of the monitoring of code violations (International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk

Substitutes)

7. Ensure mothers have a safe and comfortable place to breastfeed during an emergency

8. Scale-up communication and support to optimal IYCF/IYCF-E practices

Key Advocacy Messages for Successful IYCF-E

Acknowledgements

• The Technical Rapid Response Team (Tech RRT), UNICEF ESARO and Save the Children would like to thank all the people who contributed to the realization of this workshop. Acknowledgement also goes to the participants in the workshop from diverse organizations and institutions who greatly contributed to the organization and validation of the IYCF-E Capacity Mapping assessment and IYCF-E Framework for Action.

• Drafting of the IYCF-E capacity mapping and response framework:– Suzanne Mboya, Consultant, UNICEF ESARO (Draft IYCF-E capacity mapping and response framework)– Alison Donnelly, (formerly) Humanitarian Nutrition Adviser, SAVE ESARO– Patrick Codjia, UNICEF ESARO– Ministry of Health-Kenya, Civil Society representatives, Academia, UNICEF Kenya, UNICEF ESARO, etc.

• Validation process for the IYCF-E capacity mapping and response framework :– Ministry of Health-Kenya/Somalia/South Sudan/Somaliland, Civil Society representatives, Academia, UNICEF Kenya/Somalia/South

Sudan/Somaliland, etc.– Michele Goergen, TRRT Advisor (CMAM/IYCF-E)– Marjorie Volege and Patrick Codjia, UNICEF ESARO– Minh Tram Le, Humanitarian Nutrition Adviser, SAVE THE CHILDREN ESARO

• This validation report is made possible, in part, by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The contents are the responsibility of the Tech RRT, UNICEF and Save the Children and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.