Annex XI to OIC/COMCEC-FC/33-17/REP
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risks of severe diarrhea, malaria and measles severity and child mortality.
Hence these two mutual effects form a vicious cycle. This calls for wide
micronutrient supplementation of children as well as widespread fortification of
staple food (such as wheat flour) with iron, zinc, vitamin and water-soluble
vitamins.
Poor access to safe sanitation, drinking water and healthcare are also
significantly associated with heightened vulnerability to infectious and water-
borne diseases, eventually leading to acute and chronic malnutrition. For
instance, 90% of all deaths from diarrhea are attributable to lack of access to
safe drinking, water and sanitation, and poor hygiene practices. Protecting
children from infectious diseases requires increasing access to safe drinking
water, sanitation and health through investment in infrastructures and planning
(thereby eradicate open defecation), effective and wide-spread vaccination
programs and behavioral interventions aimed at improving hygiene practices
(such as systematic hand-washing with soap after toilet use).
Policy Advice 4: Providing access to safe and nutritious food for all with
community-based initiatives and by forming resilient capacities for food-
security
Rationale:
Consistent access to safe, nutritious and culturally appropriate food is a
fundamental human right, and is necessary to eradicate malnutrition. In
situations of acute or chronic food insecurity, scaling up the coverage of food
aid interventions to reach the poor – especially in remote, rural areas - is crucial
to avoid under-nutrition, hunger, and starvation. Community-based programs
that leverage local food production (for example by expanding house-gardening
practices) and expand the capacities of local food storage facilities are
important for increasing access to food and reducing food prices.
Due to natural and man-made disasters, some countries need emergency relief
on a wide scale to prevent millions of children suffering from acute
malnutrition. Despite actions taken by the international community, the level of
emergency assistance that reach vulnerable countries often fall short of the
requirements. It is also more cost-effective to support resilience and early
responses to crises than to rely on emergency interventions once large-scale
crises have unfolded. All the stakeholders including governments, international
organizations and other donors should take steps for funding and allocating
resources.