Nutrition for Growth Summit: Civil society representatives & celebrities urge the international community to take action against malnutrition

As Paris hosts the international Nutrition for Growth Summit on March 27 and 28, aimed at securing financial and political commitments to combat malnutrition globally, 50 representatives from NGOs and public figures highlighted the urgent need to address malnutrition on a global scale.

In front of the Eiffel Tower, at dusk, 50 distress signals, set up by committed individuals - athletes, chefs, musicians (Arnaud Assoumani, Alain Cojean, Anouk Garnier, Pauline Latchoumanin, David Rathgeber, Fanny Rey, Noémie Saglio, Jonathan Wahid, Nacer Zorgani) and representatives and volunteers from civil society (Action Against Hunger, Action Santé Mondiale, Focus 2030, GRET, Global Citizen, and UNICEF France), were simultaneously lit in silence to symbolize a tragic reality: malnutrition is responsible for 50% of deaths in children under 5 worldwide.

The event was followed by a short musical performance by Adrien Soleiman, saxophonist, composer, producer, and arranger.

Reactions from civil society representatives :

Aicha Koraïchi, President of Action Against Hunger: “It is undeniable that today, resolving world hunger does not attract significant interest, and we have the right to question the priorities of our heads of state when, for the past 45 years, Action Against Hunger has emphasized that solving the problem of hunger worldwide requires both financial resources and strong political will.”

Luc Arnaud, CEO of GRET: “For millions of children, the consequences of malnutrition on their physical and cognitive development are irreversible. While this situation is avoidable, current policies and funding remain insufficiently targeted towards specific malnutrition prevention actions. On the occasion of the Nutrition for Growth Summit, we call on governments, donors, agri-food companies, institutions, and organizations in the nutrition and development sectors to make nutrition prevention a priority. Let us act together to give children the development they have the right to.”

Ann Avril, Director General of UNICEF France: “Malnutrition is responsible for nearly half of all deaths in children under 5 and deprives millions of them of their fundamental rights. This situation is unacceptable. The gains and progress made in the fight against malnutrition are now threatened by successive crises and the disengagement of many states in terms of international solidarity. The Nutrition for Growth Summit (N4G), to be held on March 27 and 28, must provide concrete solutions to ensure the sustainability of actions against malnutrition. France must make a firm and ambitious commitment to defend children’s rights.”

Patrick Bertrand, Executive Director of Action Santé Mondiale: “In the face of the devastating consequences of malnutrition on the health of children, women, and men worldwide, solutions exist and must be better funded. The World Bank estimates that adequate investment in high-impact interventions could prevent the deaths of over 6 million children under five, while inaction would cost $41 trillion over the next 10 years. On the occasion of the N4G Summit, civil society is therefore calling on France to allocate €1.5 billion to fight malnutrition by 2030.”

Isabelle Defourny, President of Médecins Sans Frontières France: “In dozens of countries, our teams witness the effects of malnutrition daily. In 2023, MSF provided care to 499,500 malnourished children and 161,000 severely malnourished children. The Nutrition for Growth Summit must be an opportunity to show creativity in financing the fight against malnutrition; an opportunity for France to set an example. A stable, predictable, and reliable financing mechanism must be put in place to fund both the prevention and treatment of acute malnutrition. Without a change in model, thousands of children are at risk of death.”