DIPLOMA IN FOOD SECURITY AND NUTRITION IN HUMANITARIAN EMERGENCIES
The right to adequate food is recognized in international legal instruments including declarations, which are non binding and conventions, which are treaties that carry the force of the law. The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women in 1979 and the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1989 state that states and non-state actors have responsibilities in fulfilling the right to food. While it is first and foremost the duty of individuals to find their own solutions to feeding themselves, it is the state’s obligation to respect the freedom of individuals in realizing and protect their rights. Refugees and displaced people have the same human right to food as do non-refugees. Deliberate starvation or destruction of livelihoods such as production of crops and livestock as a war strategy is a violation of international law. Marginalized populations are vulnerable to food insecurity because of poverty.
If the actions of individuals and of the state fail, the state must proactively take action, which might be economic support or the provision of direct food aid as a last resort to those who are unable to feed themselves. The UN Millennium Development Goals elaborated in 2000 represent a commitment by all the 189 member states to reduce global deprivation and abuse of human rights. Poverty and hunger are perpetuated by economic and food insecurity all of which increase the vulnerability of populations to food and nutrition emergencies. Access to food and adequate nutrition is critical to survival in an emergency situation. Malnutrition can be the most serious public health problem in an emergency. A food emergency exists if depleted food supplies are not replaced in the short term by food aid.
Objectives
- Define common nutritional deficiencies in emergencies and specify how these should be corrected
- Assess population nutrition status and household food security
- Determine how a food assistance should be targeted, provided and monitored
- Discuss the dynamics of food assistance in the emergency context, including policy factors, key organizations involved in provision of food assistance, and current food crises
Thematic Areas
- Overview on nutritional concepts
- Macro and micro nutrient malnutrition
- Nutrition assessment in emergencies
- Infant and young child feeding in emergencies
- Food security approaches
- Nutrition response in emergencies
- Monitoring and evaluation of nutrition programs
Who should enroll?
This is a diploma suitable for persons working in or planning to enter the humanitarian sector, including staff of humanitarian aid organizations, governments, and UN agencies. There are no prerequisites for this course. All participants are expected to have theoretical knowledge of humanitarianism, although humanitarian aid experience is not presumed
Training Format:
- All materials are made available through our Online Learning Platform
- Students should commit approximately 5-6 hours of their time per week
Materials Provided:
Online delivery of curriculum materials, exercises and templates.
Assignments:
In order to demonstrate their understanding of the course content, students will be required to submit assignments at the end of every month.
Duration of course – 6 months
Learning Plan
- Access to course materials on E-Learning Platform
- Online interaction with Course Moderators
- Monthly assignments
- 15-20 Page Project Paper
- End of Course Examination
- Certification
Cost: Amount €1000 per Person
