WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
ORGANISATION MONDIALE DE LA SANTE
REGIONAL OFFICE FOR THE WESTERN PACIFIC BUREAU REGIONAL DU PACIFIQUE OCCIDENTAL
REGIONAL COMMITTEE Fifty-eighth session Jeju, Republic of Korea 10-14 September 2007
WPRlRC58ING0l15 13 September 2007 ORIGINAL: ENGLISH
Agenda item 15
STATEMENT BY DR SE-YOUNG OH REPRESENTATIVE, INTERNATIONAL UNION OF THE NUTRITIONAL SCIENCES (IUNS)
Chairman, Your Excellencies and Distinguished Delegates: I am honoured to have an opportunity to make a statement at the 58 th WHO Western Pacific Regional Meeting. I am from the Korean Nutrition Society. And I am here representing the International Union of Nutritional Sciences. Today, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate WHO and WPRO for your remarkable achievements made, and also thank you for the opportunity to address briefly what the IUNs can contribute further to your effort by introducing our programme as an example. The International Union of Nutritional Sciences is a union of adhering bodies representing national nutrition societies world wide. National nutrition societies from more than 110 countries are members of the Union. Of course, many of the Member States in the Asia Pacific Region (such as Australia, China, Japan and Korea, etc.) also are our members. Important missions of the IUNS include enhancing collaboration between national IUNS adhering bodies to create regional networks, as well as providing direction and technical assistance to countries with respect to advancing their training and research programmes. I am sure that it is very well received among the Member States of the Western Pacific Region that nutrition is extremely important in the prevention and treatment of both communicable and noncommunicable diseases. This is reflected well in the proposed (medium-term) strategic plan 2008-2013, which clearly states the improvement of nutrition, food safety and food security throughout the life-course, and in support of public health and sustainable development as a major strategic objective. One of the very important components required to accomplish this nutrition objective is to support the Member States to have good manpower not only at national but also at local levels, which also fits nicely to what the IUNS is doing now. The IUNS has been conducting the regional Nutrition Leadership Programmes (NLPs) in every region of the world in conjunction with the United Nations (UN) University, other UN and bilateral agencies, regional Nutrition Societies and academic centres. These programmes have been modeled based on the successful experience of the European NLP initiated in the 90's. NLPs are presently receiving UN
WPRlRC58INGO/15 page 2
University and IUNS funding and have also been partially supported by private foundations and industry. Nutrition Leadership Programmes offer a unique opportunity to train young men and women in advocacy, co=unications, teamwork and leadership skills. Graduates ofNLPs are already making a difference in their respective areas of work. National and Regional IUNS adhering bodies are contributing to these efforts by identifying potential candidates and nominating them for the regional programmes. This is only an example of many activities that have been conducted by the IUNS to support the WHO's mission in nutrition. And now, we are co=itted more than ever to putting our effort to achieve an ultimate goal of the WHO and WPRO, which is the improved health of people in the region. Although nutrition item is not adopted as a major agenda at this meeting, I hope you put nutrition on the agenda of your 59 th meeting to pursue more cost effective and efficient ways to mitigate malnutrition in the region. Thank you for your attention.