CSOs Organize SUN Civil Society Alliance of Liberia (SUNCSAL)
A two day workshop to organize the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Civil Society Alliance in Liberia has ended in Monrovia with 42 locals and 3 internationals Civil Societies Organizations attending under the theme “Better Nutrition For All”. The event was organized by Action Contre la Faim (ACF) with technical support from UNICEF in an effort to support the government in its commitment to fight under nutrition; taken through their adhesion to the SUN Movement. The Republic of Liberian joined the SUN Movement on February 3rd 2014, but the process for setting up SUN Civil Society Alliance (CSA) was interrupted due to the EVD emergency. On 24th and 25th October, 2016, 45 Civil Societies Organizations (CSOs) across the country converged at the Monrovia Christian Fellowship Center, in Sinkor to re-launch Liberia’s commitment to the SUN Movement by electing a steering Committee to lead the Alliance.
Those elected include: Mr.DismasCupson of the War Victims Assistance Program (WVAP) – Chairperson, Mrs. Agnes F. Kortima of Zorzor District Women Care (ZODWOCA) – first Vice Chairperson, Mr. Joseph Tubman of Breastfeeding Advocacy Group (BAG) – second Vice Chairperson and Mr. Augustine G. Musah of Aid and Development Program (ADP) – Secretary General.
The newly elected chairperson of SUNCSAL, Mr. Dismal Cupson said his leadership will focus on building a constructive engagement framework with relevant local actors : NGOs, civil society, researchers, businesses and Academic institutions as well as the government of Liberia to deals with nutrition issue as a priority, adding “this committee will work to mobilize resources to empower local CSOs, women groups and youth groups with the requisite knowledge and skills about stunting, wasting, micronutrient deficiencies and good practices on breastfeeding”.
The SUN is a unique global movement initiated in September 2010 to engage governments to take actions to eliminate all forms of malnutrition, based on the principle that everyone has a right to food and good nutrition. SUN vision is a world free from malnutrition in all its forms by 2030, a goal that the Civil Society Alliance of Liberia (SUNCSAL) wants to achieve. SUN is not a donor neither an institution nor an agency but rather a Multi stakeholder platform led by partner governments and supported by organizations and individuals. Currently, 57 countries around the world have integrated the SUN Movement.
