Nutrition in Emergencies: New Regional Training Courses in Africa, Asia and the Middle East

Are you interested in learning how to protect the nutrition of populations affected by humanitarian disasters? Do you want to develop the skills to deliver the wide range of interventions needed to prevent and treat malnutrition in emergencies? Are you a food security specialist who would like to be better equipped to support nutrition responses, a health manager who simply wants to understand more about emergency nutrition, or a newly qualified nutritionist who wants to develop skills in emergency nutrition programming? A new series of innovative short courses in Nutrition in Emergencies (NIE) may fit the bill for you. These are being developed in an OFDA funded project to the ENN, implemented in collaboration with UCL Centre for International Health and Development.

The courses have been designed to help practitioners develop practical expertise in emergency nutrition responses and postemergency recovery. Each course includes modules on the causes and types of malnutrition as well as the main approaches employed to prevent and treat malnutrition. Sessions are also included on emergency preparedness, coordination, monitoring and evaluation, as well as advocacy and communication in emergencies. There is particular emphasis on practical application and how different sectors can help to support efforts to protect the nutritional status of populations affected by different types of emergencies. The course content is based on the Harmonised Training Package, which was developed on behalf of the Global Nutrition Cluster, and is the most up-to-date content for developing training on NIE.

Group exercises are combined with taught sessions to help participants strengthen technical knowledge and develop practical skills. Each course culminates with an emergency simulation where you will be required to work closely with others on the course to plan out a nutritional response to a 'real' emergency.

The first courses will run on the following dates.

Lebanon: 13th to the 18th September 2010 (by invite only)

Uganda: 17th to 29th January 2011

Thailand: May 2011 (dates to be confirmed)

The courses in Thailand and Uganda will cost US$2,500 for 12 days training including all meals and accommodation.

To apply, please send a completed application form (available from www.nietraining.net) along with a copy of your CV to the NIE training coordinator (coordinator@nietraining.net). More courses will run in Lebanon in 2011, contact the coordinator for details.