Resource Library for Wasting

The UNICEF Mother-Infant MUAC tape is a simple yet powerful tool that can be used to screen both the mother/caregiver and infant at the same time – taking a holistic mother-infant approach as emphasised in the 2023 WHO Guideline on the prevention and management of wasting and nutritional oedema (acute malnutrition) in children under 5 years.This job aid can be used to train health workers on how to use and interpret the Mother-Infant MUAC tape as well as acting as an aide memoire for health workers when seeing mothers and infants in health facilities and in the community. The Mother-Infant MUAC tape is available to order from the UNICEF Supply Catalogue.

The first 1,000 days of life represent the most crucial period for physical and cognitive development, making early preventive interventions essential during humanitarian crises. UNICEF's new guidance document demonstrates how promoting healthy child growth and development is a critical component of preventing and managing wasting in humanitarian…, Key interventions include:, Integrating developmental screening and early identification into routine wasting programs Incorporating play and early stimulation activities using locally available materials Enabling disability-inclusive care with specialized feeding support Supporting caregivers' mental and physical health through stress assessments and counseling Building…, Evidence-based impact:, Research shows that psychosocial stimulation, including structured play and caregiver engagement, positively impacts both child development and anthropometric outcomes. The 2023 WHO guideline on wasting management specifically emphasizes the importance of psychosocial support and responsive caregiving in treatment protocols. As we continue to…, UNICEF Nutrition Strategy 2020-2030, , this guidance provides field teams with concrete tools to ensure that emergency nutrition responses address the full spectrum of child development needs, supporting not just survival but optimal long-term outcomes for the world's most vulnerable children.

Interim Programmatic Adaptations for Wasting Programming in Resource-constrained SettingsThis interim guidance (version as of May 2025) was commissioned by the GNC), and its development was led by Action Against Hunger, Save the Children, and Concern Worldwide, with contributions and technical review from the Wasting Thematic Working Group (GTWG). Regional offices were also consulted during its development to ensure contextual relevance and operational feasibility.The guidance may be updated as new evidence emerges, operational lessons are learned, or programmatic contexts evolve. It is intended to support short-term decision-making in resource-constrained settings. While it does not replace national protocols for the treatment and prevention of wasting, it aims to complement and inform country-led processes by offering practical options to address pressing challenges.Background and purpose of the documentThis guidance was developed in response to the significant funding cuts currently affecting nutrition programmes globally. Across many countries, partners are navigating a complex situation in which critical, lifesaving services must be sustained, re-organized, or transferred to ministries of health (MoH) or local and national actors, often without sufficient time or resources for adequate preparation.Its primary purpose is to support country-level decision-makers and implementers in identifying ethical, context-appropriate, and operationally feasible adaptations when facing service disruptions or stock-outs of essential nutrition commodities. In doing so, it provides not only a set of practical options but also a structured process to guide prioritization, coordination and temporary adjustments, while upholding humanitarian principles.Nutrition Interventions to Prevent Malnutrition in Intersectoral Severity Areas 4/5Due to the significant reductions in humanitarian and development funding in the first half of 2025, at the request of the Emergency Relief Coordinator (ERC), interagency humanitarian response plans are being reprioritized. This exercise is led by the Humanitarian Coordinators (HCs) in close coordination with the Humanitarian Coordination Teams (HCTs) and builds on the boundary setting exercise for the 2025 Humanitarian Response Plans (HRPs).Interagency re-prioritization at country level will focus on:Geographic areas with Intersectoral Severity 4 and 5Activity types that are lifesaving, plus protectionAs nutrition programming is generally accepted as meeting lifesaving criteria, there is no debate that activities pertaining to the early detection and treatment of wasting are within the re-prioritization boundaries. However, there is a question about which prevention activities we should be advocating for in 4-5 severity contexts. 

The Joint Statement on Child Wasting (March 2025) emphasizes the urgent need for action to combat child wasting, a severe form of malnutrition that affects 45 million children under five globally. While progress has been made, with 9.3 million children receiving life-saving treatment in 2023—a 27% increase from the previous year—wasting remains a persistent challenge. The document highlights the economic rationale for investing in nutrition, stating that for every $1 spent on addressing undernutrition, a $23 return can be expected, while malnutrition costs the global economy $2.1 trillion annually. The statement underscores the importance of the Nutrition for Growth Summit (N4G) as a platform for bold commitments to achieve the World Health Assembly’s target of reducing child wasting to below 5% by 2025.The statement issues a call to action for governments, donors, and stakeholders to integrate child wasting interventions into national health and nutrition plans. It encourages increased funding, policy updates in line with WHO guidelines, and the strengthening of health and social protection systems. The document outlines specific recommendations, such as expanding social transfer programs for vulnerable women, enforcing breastfeeding protections, improving complementary feeding access, and integrating nutrition into climate-sensitive resilience strategies. The statement is endorsed by a coalition of international organizations, including UNICEF, WHO, WFP, and Save the Children, urging global leaders to take decisive steps at N4G 2025 to end child wasting and improve the well-being of millions of children worldwide.Signatories of statement: Action Against Hunger, Concern Worldwide, International Rescue Committee (IRC), Save the Children, World Vision International (WVI), Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), Gates Foundation, Government of Ireland, Emergency Nutrition Network (ENN), Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), World Health Organization (WHO) and World Food Programme (WFP)

This brief guide provides suggestions on how to effectively update a national acute malnutrition guideline, highlighting key aspects to reflect upon at each stage of the update process. Presented in 10 clear steps, it is designed for use by anyone involved in the update of national acute malnutrition guidelines, including UNICEF technical staff and other relevant personnel, technical partners and stakeholders supporting and/or involved in the update process, and implementing organizations developing their own guidelines.

The IYCF-E Hub is a global portal to the most relevant resources related to infant and young child nutrition in humanitarian contexts. , Publisher, Save the Children , Language, English, French, Spanish, Arabic

This page was initially created as a point of reference on the ‘CMAM Surge’ approach, to support practitioners to adapt, set-up, and implement the approach., Publisher, Concern Worldwide, Language, English

This webpage is intended to serve as a repository of relevant resources for Nutrition Cluster Coordinators and partners working at country and global levels, Publisher, GNC, Language, English, French, Spanish, Arabic

The term simplified approaches refers to a number of simplifications to the existing national and global protocols for the treatment of child wasting. These simplifications are designed to improve effectiveness, quality, coverage and reduce the costs of caring for children with uncomplicated wasting. The website is a repository for documents and…, Publisher, UNICEF, Language, English

The SUN Movement curates a wide range of resources for SUN Members, in support of achievement of SUN Country nutrition targets. This includes objective, independent, high-quality research, including briefs, reports, and other materials covering nutrition-related and sustainable development themes. Sources of this material include SUN Countries,…, Publisher, SUN, Language, English

For more than 15 years, the Food and Nutrition Technical Assistance Project (FANTA)-funded by USAID- worked to improve the health and well-being of vulnerable individuals, families, and communities in developing countries by strengthening food security and nutrition policies, programs, and systems. The FANTA project ended in September 2018. The…, Publisher, USAID, Language, English

UNICEF's nutrition webpage., Publisher, UNICEF, Language, English