Terms of Reference
Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) Technical Working Group
South Sudan
1. Background
Infant and young child feeding practices (IYCF) are a cornerstone for childhood
development. World-wide about 30%i of children under five are stunted as a consequence
of poor feeding and repeated infections. Even in resource poor settings, improved feeding
practices can lead to improved intakes of energy and nutrients, leading to better nutrition
outcomes.
In the south Sudan only 45%ii of children under the age of 6 are exclusively breastfed and
38% continue to breast fed up to two years. Similarly, acute malnutrition continues to be a
problem of public health significance in view of its direct underlying relationship to
increased risk of mortality and morbidity in young children as well as its deleterious effects
on overall child growth and development.
Therefore, in consideration of the above context the Nutrition Cluster has been supporting
the coordination of nutrition actors within the humanitarian community to ensure
appropriate and efficient response to humanitarian crisis by providing life-saving nutrition
support to populations in need in accordance with national and global standards and it is
within this operational framework that the IYCF technical working group has been
established to contribute to a reduction in young child malnutrition by providing technical
support in the development of IYCF programs and policies in south Sudan based on the
latest global nutrition technical knowledge and program experience.
2. Justification
Despite the above compelling evidence of high malnutrition rates in the country, South
Sudan still lacks national IYFC guidelines that are essential in steering programmes aimed
at enhancing child survival through the promotion, protection and support of optimal infant
and young child feeding practices countrywide. Therefore the establishment of the IYCF
technical working group will complement government efforts through the provision of
technical support in IYCF policy formulation, program implementation as well as program
monitoring.
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3. Objectives of IYCF technical Working Group
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Coordinate implementation of IYCF activities to ensure coherent and streamlined IYCF
program implementation in all states.
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Provide technical input during the IYCF policy formulation and development.
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Provide technical support in the development of the IYCF guidelines for South Sudan.
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Promote partners compliance to national IYCF policies and their integration into relevant
partner’s work plans.
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Support the establishment and functioning of state IYCF working groups
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Support capacity building and implementation of emergency IYCF actions as needed
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Review and support dissemination of technical updates on IYCF to relevant stakeholders
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Advise and support IYCF capacity needs assessments as well as priority areas of research
to determine predominant hindrances to IYCF and identify priorities for action
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Provide technical support for adapting and implementing international guidelines, policies,
curricula and tools to support IYCF programmes

Advocate and promote the integration of IYFC initiatives into government health care
system such as supporting the incorporation of IYCF activities into the reproductive health
services including ante and post-natal care, family planning, traditional birth attendants.
4. Working modalities
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IYCF Technical Working Group to meet monthly and meeting schedule to be reviewed
after 3 months
Timing: From 10:00am, to last not more than 2 hours
Location: at the ministry of Health offices in Juba
Decision making: Public voting with a quorum of 7 members
Production of minutes & circulation – Secretary
Current Representation in the Group
Ministry of Health MoH, Nutrition
department representatives
Nutrition Cluster
UN agencies (UNICEF)
International NGOs
National NGOs
2 representatives
Coordinator and co-coordinator
2 representatives
4 representatives (must be implementing active IYCF
activities)
3 representatives (must be implementing active IYCF
activities)
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WHO, global strategy for infant and young child feeding ,available at
http://www.who.int/nutrition/topics/global_strategy/en/index.html
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ii
The South Household Health Survey 2010
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