Workshop on Improving Training in Nutrition in Emergencies

A workshop on 'Improving Training in Nutrition in Emergencies' will be held on 6th and 7th November 2008 in Nairobi, Kenya.

The workshop is an initiative of the Global Nutrition Cluster, an umbrella group of humanitarian agencies led by UNICEF. The Nutrition Cluster has identified the need for better capacity to respond to nutritional issues within countries affected by emergencies, as well as the importance of developing effective and sustainable emergency nutrition training courses.

For the first time, universities, training institutions and humanitarian agencies will be brought together to discuss how to improve training and capacity in emergency nutrition. Workshop participants will also be introduced to the new Harmonised Training Package (HTP). Developed by the Nutrition Cluster, the HTP consists of 21 modules covering all aspects of nutrition in emergencies¹.

The workshop has the following objectives:

• To establish a network of southern and northern universities and training institutions providing training in nutrition in emergencies.
• To identify options for disseminating the HTP by integrating within established short courses, diplomas and master's programmes, as well as wider nutrition and health courses.
• To identify opportunities for the academic accreditation of nutrition in emergency training courses.
• To explore approaches for better integrating academic training courses with field and on-thejob training and other types of sustainable training initiatives, through partnerships with govern ment ministries and civil society groups, as well as operational humanitarian agencies.
• To create awareness of the HTP, disseminate materials, and start the process of developing a database of potential trainers.

The expected outputs from the workshop will be an agreement on the key elements of a proposal for funding with the following sections:

• Practical steps for the creation and maintenance of mutual linkages between the network institutions and sharing of skills, teaching resources and personnel.
• Memorandum of understanding for the network and roles and responsibilities.
• Identified number of institutions that will use the harmonised training package materials in priority countries and regions where integration with operational agency programmes is feasible.
• Indicative costs for the dissemination of the HTP over five years.
• A draft budget.

Around 40 participants are expected to attend the workshop which is being arranged by NutritionWorks, a partnership of international nutritionists based in London, and the Centre for International Health and Development, University College London.

For more information, contact: Carmel Dolan, email: Cmadolan@aol.com

¹Visit the Nutrition Cluster website to access all 21 modules, http://www.humanitarianreform.org