Call to ensure nutrition governance to achieve SDGs

Experts at a discussion programme on Wednesday emphasised ensuring nutrition governance to achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs).

They also said that it is important for the media to play a proactive role in achieving development targets.

They made the call at a media dialogue on nutrition governance organised in Dhaka by SoMaSHTe, a media development and communication-focused organisation.

Representatives of the Bangladesh National Nutrition Council (BNNC), media personalities, and development experts were present at the event organised under the European Union-funded ‘Collective Responsibility, Action and Accountability for Improved Nutrition’ project led by Concern Worldwide.

BNNC Director General Dr Hasan Shahriar Kabir was present as the chief guest while prominent journalist and TV Today Editor-in-Chief Manjurul Ahsan Bulbul presided over the event.

The speakers at the event made commitments to emphasise nutrition governance-related news in the media and stressed the importance of improving local journalism.

The chief guest said that nutrition governance is mainly related to the policy and strategic aspects of the overall nutrition system.

“Various ministries have specific programmes in light of these. There is an opportunity for the media to work closely to examine how the benefits of these programmes are reaching the people,” he said.

Manjurul Ahsan Bulbul said that the media should prioritise issues related to the public interest, such as nutrition governance. “Specialisation of journalists should be made for covering such topics. Besides, the media should give more importance to new topics and come out from the traditional operating structure,” he said.

Moderated by SoMaSHTe Director Mir Masrur Zaman, the event was also addressed by journalists and BNNC officials.