As described in the SDN Terms of Reference, the SUN Donor Network's mandate is to support and ensure the highest political commitment for nutrition at the global and country level. As a such, the SDN mandate aims at improving the availability of and access to adequate investments for nutrition.
The SDN strives for transparency and improved coordination between donors and partners globally as well as at the country-level with respect to coordination and alignment with national nutrition plans.
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The SDN Workplan
The SUN Donor Network works under its own workplan with three strategic objectives (SO). Each SO has strategic lead responsibles for facilitating the activities associated with each SO. Still, responsibility for implementation of activities in the SDN workplan does not only lie with the SO leads, but all SDN members, including national level donors, are encouraged to engage in activities in the workplan most relevant to them.
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SDN Strategic Objective 1:
Policy, leadership and governance: sustained political engagement, commitment and communication on nutrition at global and national levels and within the SUN movement
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Under SO1, SDN members promote and support high level political leadership and commitment on nutrition by engaging in key global and regional events, N4G thematic working groups, further developing advocacy materials to make the case for investment in nutrition, collaborate strategically with the SUN Movement Coordinator in her country visits and other advocacy activities. The strong engagement by donor Senior Officials is crucial for achievements under this SO. Consistent with N4G thematic issues SDN members share views and develop common messages where possible on key thematic issues such as obesity/NCDs, food systems, gender and bridging the humanitarian-development divide. The SDN also engages in the SUN strategic review and influence how SUN monitors and communicates the added value of the SUN support system.
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SDN Strategic Objective 2:
Galvanize more and higher quality financing for nutrition
Under SO2, SDN members pursue activities that seek to improve the availability of information on funding sources, and continue strengthening donor reporting on nutrition spending, as well as use of spending data to improve strategic allocation and advocacy.
These areas of work help to inform a more targeted engagement of Senior Officials with key messages using key figures around nutrition needs and spending, and success stories around how financing is working to support improved nutrition outcomes in countries. The SDN – together with other stakeholder groups – explores further opportunities for increasing nutrition financing from new sources and align closely with the financing work stream for Nutrition for Growth.
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Strategic Objective 3:
Improved coordination and learning both within the global SDN and across the SUN Global Support System
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Under SO3, SDN members share learning with each other, within and between global and national levels, through monthly calls, face-to-face meetings, an SDN Knowledge Platform, country case studies, a guidance pack, self-assessments of functionality and progress. Key areas of activity include: identifying ways of coordinating and aligning better at country level, and pooling learning on effective nutrition sensitive policies and approaches. Furthermore, SDN members seek to strengthen collaboration with other networks at national and global levels and contribute to the achievement of collective outcomes defined in the SUN GSS Collaboration Framework 2019/20.
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SDN Members
Global SDN brings together development partners including bilateral and multilateral donors, foundations, development banks and other institutions funding nutrition in support of SUN countries’ goals and objectives.
The network is guided by Senior Officials that have agreed to coordinate political opportunities to support nutrition in international processes, including the Nutrition for Growth Summit (N4G). Reports from Senior Officials meetings can be found here.
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The SDN network also delegates a member to the SUN Executive Committee from within its membership. Whilst members of the SUN Executive Committee participate as individuals, rather than representing their own organization or network, it is expected that they share information and consult with members of the networks with which they are associated. Currently, Neil Watkins (BMGF) represents the SDN in the SUN Executive Committee with Helena Guarin (EU Commission) being his alternate.
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SDN Facilitators
As of July 1st, 2023 and until new SDN Terms of Reference are developed in October 2023, the facilitation for the SUN Donor Network (SDN) will transition to a "light facilitation" only. The EC and BMZ co-funded GIZ programme Capacity for Nutrition (C4N) will ensure this "light facilitation" and is reachable under sdn@scalingupnutrition.org.
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Co-facilitators: Andy Rigsby (Senior Program Officer Global Policy & Advocacy, Bill & Melinda Gates
Foundation)
andy.rigsby@gatesfoundation.org
Anja Younes (Advisor Global Agenda for Food and Nutrition Security at GIZ, on behalf
of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)​
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Accountability
Progress in the implementation of the work plan is reviewed during monthly calls, e.g. one strategic objective each month. Progress is also reviewed during SDN face-to-face meetings, during the SUN Global Gathering, and during the annual SDN Retreats. The workplan is shared with others in the SUN Movement Global Support System and progress reported to the SUN Executive Committee in the context of the SUN GSS Collaboration Framework.
Click here to learn more about the SUN Movement’s overall Mutual Accountability Framework.
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Safeguarding Issues
SDN members are all staff of development partners, including bilateral donors, foundations, and development banks, all of which have their own policies and/or code of conduct. Each SDN member is required to act with the highest integrity with regards to their employee policies and/or code of conduct, and the SDN expects members to demonstrate this integrity throughout their work for the SDN.
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