The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) considers the specific needs and capacities of youth to foster their holistic development, empower them as agents of change, and contribute to building healthier and more sustainable food systems.
The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) considers the specific needs and capacities of youth to foster their holistic development, empower them as agents of change, and contribute to building healthier and more sustainable food systems. GAIN typically categorizes youth into three profiles based on their roles and age groups:
GAIN follows a positive youth development approach, which emphasizes providing opportunities for skill-building, fostering positive relationships and contribution to society. GAIN adopts youth-led and participatory approaches ensuring that youth perspectives are considered and that interventions are tailored to meet their specific needs.
Youth are both consumers and contributors to food systems. Younger youth or adolescents are at a critical stage of growth and development and their nutritional needs are unique. Adequate nutrition during adolescence can have long-lasting effects on their health and well-being throughout their lifespans. Youth are engaged across the food system from sustainable agriculture and food production to actively participating in finding solutions to food systems challenges and driving positive change.
Governments and policymakers have a responsibility to create environments that support healthy eating, ensure food security, and promote opportunities for youth engagement and employment in the food system. Engaging youth in the policymaking process, advocating for youth-friendly policies, and promoting youth leadership and participation in decision-making can lead to more inclusive and effective policies that address the needs and priorities of young people.
GAIN’s youth work is housed in the Children and Young People theme of the Empowering Food Systems Actors Programme which supports projects the directly target and benefit youth in Bangladesh, Indonesia, Mozambique, Pakistan and Tanzania. Through the Nourishing Food Pathways portfolio GAIN is seeking to ensuring youth voices are included in food system pathway development and implementation. GAIN supports the ACT4FOOD youth movement. The Transform Nutrition and Okhokelamo Ni Solha projects are engaging adolescent girls in the Jogo das Heroínas (Heroines’ games) to improve nutrition outcomes. The Food Investigator Game was an idea from a group of junior high school students and was brought to life by GAIN to help adolescents better understand food labels.
Beyond the Children and Young People theme, GAIN supports staff to integrate youth-focused activities across its programmatic portfolio. This includes:
Programme Lead, Children and Young People
