UNITED NATIONS
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UNITED NATIONS ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE ON COORDINATION
The ACC/SCN is the focal point for harmonising the policies and activities in nutrition of the United Nations system. The role of the SCN is to serve as a coordinating mechanism, for exchange of information and technical guidance, and to act dynamically to help the UN respond to nutritional problems. The SCN is responsible for overseeing the direction, scale, coherence and impact of the UN response to the nutritional problems of the world. The Administrative Committee on Coordination (ACC), which is comprised of the heads of the UN Agencies, recommended the establishment of the Sub-Committee on Nutrition in 1977, following the World Food Conference (with particular reference to Resolution V on food and nutrition). This was approved by the Economic and Social Council of the UN (ECOSOC). The SCN held its first Session in 1977 in Rome. The UN members of the SCN are FAO, IAEA, IFAD, ILO, UN, UNDP, UNEP, UNESCO, UNFPA, UNHCHR, UNHCR, UNICEF, UNRISD, UNU, WFP, WHO and the World Bank. From the outset, representatives of bilateral donor agencies have participated actively in SCN activities. Non-governmental organisations are also involved. The SCN is assisted by the Advisory Group on Nutrition (AGN), comprised of six nutritional scientists and practitioners of world repute from different regions. The Secretariat is hosted by WHO in Geneva. The SCN undertakes a range of activities to meet its mandate. Annual meetings have representation from the concerned UN Agencies, from 10 to 20 donor agencies, the AGN, as well as invitees on specific topics; these meetings begin with a symposium on subjects of current importance for policy. The SCN brings certain such matters to the attention of the ACC. The SCN sponsors up to nine working groups on specialised areas of nutrition. The SCN compiles and disseminates information on nutrition,
reflecting the shared views of the agencies concerned. Regular reports on the
world nutrition situation are issued. Nutrition Policy papers are produced to
summarize current knowledge on selected topics. SCN News is normally published
twice yearly and reports on the nutritional status of refugees and displaced
persons (RNIS) four times per year. As decided by the Sub-Committee, initiatives
are taken to promote coordinated activities - inter-agency programmes, meetings,
publications - aimed at reducing malnutrition, primarily in developing
countries. |
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SCN NEWS No. 16 was edited by Cathy Needham The nutrition in emergencies section was compiled by Jane Wallace, We are most grateful for contributions as shown in
Sources after articles |
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SCN NEWS issued in July and December each year by the Secretariat of the UN ACC Sub-Committee on Nutrition. Your contributions to future issues would be most welcome.
If you wish to receive additional copies of SCN NEWS or would like to suggest other names to be added to our distribution list, please write to us: Chairman: Dr Richard Jolly Technical Secretary: Dr Sonya Rabeneck |
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SCN NEWS aims to provide information for those
concerned with international nutrition. Publication of items in SCN NEWS does
not imply endorsement of views given, nor necessarily the official positions
taken, by the ACC/SCN and its member agencies. The status of quotes and other
material is generally indicated in the text and/or sources. |
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Items in SCN NEWS be reproduced without prior permission, but
please attribute to the ACC/SCN |
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We gratefullyh acknowledge funding assistance from the
Government of the Netherlands and USAID for the preparation and printing of this
issue of SCN NEWS |
Nutrition of the Scholl-Aged Child
A Summary of SCN Working Group Discussions, Oslo 1998