Overview

Strengthening the Scaling Up Nutrition Multi-Stakeholder Platform (SUN MSP) is vital for improving Ethiopia’s nutrition governance, coordination, and accountability. This study assessed the SUN MSP’s capacity and technical assistance needs while exploring the feasibility of establishing youth and parliamentarian nutrition networks.

Outcome

The Ethiopian Civil Society Coalition for Scaling Up Nutrition (ECSC-SUN) provided technical and financial support for nutrition strategies but remained unregistered and faced financial and staffing challenges. The SUN academia network contributed evidence for policy development but struggled with funding and office space, while the SUN Business Network (SBN), the only legally registered network, achieved key milestones despite budget constraints. The SUN donors' network lacked clear terms of reference and implementation plans, while the UN nutrition network provided technical assistance but faced challenges balancing humanitarian and developmental efforts. There was strong demand and opportunity to establish a Youth Nutrition Network (YNN) and a Parliamentarian Nutrition Network (PNN), supported by favorable policies, government commitment, and local structures, though barriers such as funding gaps, bureaucratic hurdles, and lack of awareness among stakeholders remained. To enhance SUN MSP effectiveness, development partners and donors should provide financial and technical support, while the SUN government should develop guidelines and advocacy strategies for establishing YNN and PNN. Strengthening regional SUN Chapters through collaboration with regional governments and partners will further improve grassroots coordination.