Global Technical Assistance Mechanism for Nutrition (GTAM) progress report

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The Global Technical Assistance Mechanism for Nutrition (GTAM) is a common global mechanism endorsed by over 40 Global Nutrition Cluster (GNC) partners to provide systematic, predictable, timely and coordinated nutrition technical assistance in order to meet the nutrition rights and needs of people affected by emergencies. It is co-led by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and World Vision International (WVI), in collaboration with additional members of a core team (GTAM-CT), including Emergency Nutrition Network (ENN) as the knowledge management (KM) partner, the GNC and the Technical Rapid Response Team (Tech RRT).

During the period 1 August to 31 October 2019, the GTAM-CT continued to develop and document operational ways of working for the GTAM as part of the ‘build’ phase, further defining processes (particularly for the engagement of Global Technical Working Groups (GTWGs) in providing technical advice and consensus-driven guidance in gap areas).

The Nutrition Information Systems (NIS) GTWG and the Cash Reference Group were fully operationalised during this period. Membership and workplans were put in place and the development of specific guidance initiated (on “conducting nutrition analysis for Humanitarian Needs Overviews” by the NIS working group and “cash in emergencies for nutrition” by the Cash reference group). The Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies (IYCF-E) GTWG (operated by the IFE Core Group) developed a costed workplan to deliver on priority gaps identified in the GTAM baseline technical needs assessment¹, and several members contributed to a case study charting the experience and learning from their response to a request for technical advice which came through the GTAM.  

The Inter-cluster Nutrition Working Group (ICNWG) took on the role of the nutrition-sensitive GTWG in June 2019 on a trial basis. During a meeting in Rome in August, the group discussed how best to support the GTAM. The acute malnutrition GTWG is in the early stages of formation; a call for nominations for membership went out and World Vision and the GNC will take on the role of co-chairs on an interim basis while the process for allocating chairs is defined. A first meeting of the group is scheduled for the next quarter.

In terms of provision of technical expertise, 12 vetted consultants were added to the GTAM consultant roster. Six advisers were deployed (two assessment advisors to Central African Republic and Ethiopia; an IYCF-E adviser to Jordan; and a nutrition in emergencies adviser to Mexico, with two additional deployments underway to provide Community Management of Acute Malnutrition support in Ethiopia and Angola).

Download the full report from: www.ennonline.net/gtamquarterlydigest3

Read more about the GTAM at www.ennonline.net/ourwork/knowledgemanagement/gtam