Media contact: Maureen Meehan 763-442-0165 / Maureen_Meehan@jtpr.

com FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: MAY 18, 2012

Global Nutrition in the Spotlight of the New Alliance on Food Security and Nutrition
1,000 Days commends President Obama for a renewed commitment to promote long-term economic growth by addressing hunger and child malnutrition
WASHINGTON, D.C. President Obamas announcement today for the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition elevates the call to action on the global crisis of malnutrition, with a specific focus on improving nutrition in the 1,000 days during pregnancy up to a child's second birthday. The announcement comes on the eve of the G-8 Summit at Camp David where leaders will further address the issues of global food security and nutrition. Just yesterday, world leaders and civil society organizations met on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. to call on G-8 leaders and global policy makers to commit a greater effort toward addressing hunger and malnutrition at a forum titled Scaling Up Nutrition: Calling All Champions. The forum, organized by 1,000 Days and a coalition of international organizations, specifically highlighted efforts to combat child malnutritiona condition resulting in almost three million preventable child deaths annually and draining billions of dollars in lost productivity and health care costs from poor countries. President Obama, his administration and the G-8 should be commended for this historic commitment addressing the global crisis of malnutrition, said Lucy Sullivan, Executive Director of the 1,000 Days Partnership. Nearly 200 million children worldwide are chronically malnourished, resulting in huge losses not only in human potential but also economic potential in some of the worlds poorest countries. The upcoming G-8 Summit discussion is an important start but there is still much work to be done. Thursdays forum included President Jakaya Kikwete of the United Republic of Tanzania; Senator Richard Durbin; Representative James McGovern; Representative Rosa DeLauro; Gayle Smith, Special Assistant to President Obama and Senior Director at the National Security Council; The Honorable Beverley Oda, Minister of International Cooperation, Government of Canada; The Honorable Ertharin Cousin, Executive Director, World Food Programme; His Excellency Michael Collins, Ambassador of Ireland to the United States; Dr. Rajiv Shah, Administrator, United States Agency for International Development (USAID); leadership from the World Bank, the Alliance to End Hunger, Bread for the World, Save the Children, The Millennium Challenge Corporation, NEPAD and Concern Worldwide. On Monday, a second summit will convene in Chicago to address the U.S. and global epidemic of child malnutrition. The summit, 1,000 Days to Change the Future: Making Malnutrition History, will feature a keynote address from the Honorable Ertharin Cousin, Executive Director of the World Food Programme, as well as leaders from across all sectors including business, foundation, academic, nonprofit and medical communities. For more information, please contact: Maureen_Meehan@jtpr.com

~~~ 1,000 Days 1,000 Days champions action and investment to improve nutrition during the critical 1,000 days during a womans pregnancy and her childs 2nd birthday, when better nutrition can have a lifelong impact on a childs future and help break the cycle of poverty. The 1,000 Days Partnership, launched by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, represents more than 80 organizations committed to improving maternal and child nutrition and supports the global Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) movement which coordinates and accelerates international efforts to combat undernutrition. http://www.thousanddays.org/
###