This report provides a comprehensive overview of UNICEF’s global nutrition achievements in 2023, aligned with its Nutrition Strategy 2020–2030 and Strategic Plan 2022–2025. It documents progress in early childhood nutrition, nutrition for school-age children, adolescents and women, early detection and treatment of malnutrition, and nutrition in humanitarian contexts.
Key results include reaching 434 million children and caregivers with services to prevent malnutrition in early childhood, 123 million school-age children and adolescents with gender-responsive nutrition programmes, and 9.3 million children admitted for treatment of wasting—surpassing targets in all areas. The report also highlights work to strengthen breastfeeding, improve complementary feeding, promote food fortification, integrate nutrition into school and health systems, and advance legislation on food marketing, labeling, and taxation of unhealthy products.
UNICEF’s approach integrates nutrition into primary health care, education, and social protection systems, leveraging partnerships with governments, UN agencies, donors, and civil society. The report also emphasizes humanitarian action, scaling up services in crisis-affected countries, and linking cash transfers with nutrition support. Thematic funding played a critical role in enabling flexible, scalable responses, with allocations supporting policy reform, programme delivery, and systems strengthening globally.