Kirk Humanitarian supports UNICEF’s drive to improve nutrition for women and babies

This support will increase access to prenatal vitamins for 16 million women across 16 high-priority countries by the end of 2025.

PARIS, 31 May 2024 – Kirk Humanitarian announced today new support to UNICEF to provide essential prenatal vitamins to protect women’s nutrition in pregnancy.

The US$34.4 million in-kind donation will increase access to prenatal vitamins for 16 million women across 16 high-priority countries by the end of 2025. The prenatal vitamins, or multiple micronutrient supplements (UNIMMAP MMS), which contain 15 essential vitamins, have significant benefits for mother and baby when taken during pregnancy.

The donation will support UNICEF’s recent Improving Maternal Nutrition Acceleration Plan, which aims to ensure women and children can reach their full potential by preventing anemia and malnutrition in pregnant women. The donation provides all of the MMS needed to implement the plan, with additional support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

All women, everywhere deserve essential nutrition care during pregnancy,” said UNICEF Director for Child Nutrition and Development, Victor Aguayo. “We recognize the leadership of Kirk Humanitarian in donating MMS to reach 16 million women who will benefit from these high impact prenatal vitamins. We are committed to working together with national governments and our development and humanitarian partners to achieve the full vision of the Maternal Nutrition Acceleration Plan by 2024.

The plan will be implemented through the UNICEF-led Child Nutrition Fund, a new financing mechanism that includes a 1:1 match for governments that procure essential nutrition supplies like MMS.

“We are at an inflection point in global efforts to reach as many women as possible with high-quality prenatal vitamins,” said Spencer Kirk, founder and managing director of Kirk Humanitarian. “Country demand and readiness to scale this lifesaving intervention has never been greater, and mechanisms like the Child Nutrition Fund enable collaboration between governments and donors like never before. Kirk Humanitarian is pleased to collaborate with UNICEF in support of the Maternal Nutrition Acceleration Plan, so resources can be deployed immediately to accelerate progress toward reaching global nutrition targets for women and newborns.”

“Well-nourished women have safer pregnancies and are better able to participate fully in society. Providing these essential prenatal vitamins will help to reduce child mortality and malnutrition, while advancing gender equality. We thank Kirk Humanitarian for their generous support in helping ensure women and children reach their full potential,” said UNICEF Director of Private Fundraising and Partnerships Carla Haddad Mardini.

The announcement was made at Roland- Garros, at an event organized by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs (MEAE), the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Foundation, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

The 16 high-priority countries are:

Bangladesh
Burkina Faso
Ethiopia
Nigeria
Pakistan
Mongolia
Nepal
Philippines
Rwanda
Tanzania
Afghanistan
Madagascar
Myanmar
Somalia
Sri Lanka
Venezuela

About UNICEF

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. Across more than 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, to build a better world for everyone.

For more information about UNICEF and its work for children, visit: unicef.org

UNICEF does not endorse any company, brand, product, or service.