As a result of a convening in May 2022, the SQ-LNS Task Force was formed to establish a road map of key actions to effectively scale-up SQ-LNS for the prevention of undernutrition among young children in nutritionally vulnerable settings. The SQ-LNS Task Force is comprised of a Steering Committee (SC) and five Working Groups that are focusing on the following key issues: 1) Advocacy; 2) Cost and cost-effectiveness; 3) Operational Guidance; 4) Operational Research; 5) Supply and regulatory issues. The SC is responsible for guiding the direction of the Task Force and determining its short-term and long-term priorities. The SC also provides oversight and support for the activities of the Working Groups.
Membership of the SC consists of representatives from stakeholder organizations or agencies with a long-standing commitment to the improvement of child health and nutrition that are playing a key role in the financing, design, implementation and/or evaluation of programs and policies related to SQ-LNS. Each of these organizations may choose to identify a primary representative and a secondary/alternative representative to ensure that the organization is fully represented at all meetings. The Chair, or at least one of the two co-Chairs, of each Working Group will also be invited to serve on the SC to promote comprehensive information sharing across the Task Force. If the need to expand SC membership in response to a particular issue arises, input/approval from existing SC members will be sought.
Members of the SC are expected to actively participate in virtual meetings on a monthly basis, provide input on specific issues as necessary, and contribute to relevant Task Force initiatives as they arise.