http://www.nietraining.net/

Department of Nutrition & Food Science
American University of Beirut, Lebanon
Public Health in Emergencies
Asian Disaster Preparedness Center, Thailand
School of Public Health, Makerere University, Uganda

In collaboration with:

Centre for International Health Development (CIHD)
University College London, UK
Emergency Nutrition Network (ENN)

Climate change, conflict and global economic volatility are all contributing to an increased frequency of humanitarian emergencies worldwide. Emergencies put affected populations at a much higher risk of becoming malnourished, and this in turn leads to an increase in disease and death. Yet, malnutrition is not an inevitable consequence of emergencies; effective strategies exist for preventing and treating malnutrition in these settings. Implementing such strategies requires people on the ground who can anticipate and respond to nutritional needs of communities, even when working in demanding and constantly changing environments. It also requires coordinated action by those working in a range of sectors, including health, food security, livelihoods, water, sanitation and hygiene and logistics.

Each course includes modules on the causes and types of malnutrition as well as the main areas of focus for nutrition professionals in emergency settings:

• Surveys and surveillance
• Therapeutic and supplementary feeding
• Infant and young child feeding in emergencies
• General food distributions
• Micronutrient assessment and intervention
• Monitoring and evaluation
• Humanitarian standards and coordination
• Emergency preparedness

• Professionals working in the humanitarian and development sector who would like to improve their knowledge and understanding of emergency nutrition.
• Nutritionists, health and food security staff and general emergency program managers, logisticians and even journalists.
• Individuals who have no relevant work experience but who have a relevant graduate-level qualification will be accepted.

The NIE course has been designed to help equip participants with the expertise needed to lead or support nutrition responses. They are intended to build the skills of anyone who has an involvement with emergency nutrition, including health and food security staff, and general program managers. In addition to providing the most up-to-date technical theory of NIE, we employ a range of training techniques to help participants to think more practically about what they would need to do to prevent and treat malnutrition during an emergency.

The course materials are based on the NIE Harmonized Training Package (HTP) which has been developed by international experts on behalf of the Global Nutrition Cluster. The HTP is the most up-to-date training resource for emergency nutrition. Courses are run in Lebanon, Uganda and Thailand and are tailored to meet the specific needs of each region.

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

• Identify the various forms of malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies that occur during emergencies
• Demonstrate how to take anthropometric measurements and to calculate nutritional indices
• Describe the conceptual framework for the causes of malnutrition and explain how different types of emergencies affect nutritional status
• Explain the links between nutrition, health, food security and livelihoods in emergencies
• Design and undertake an appropriate assessment to determine the severity of malnutrition and to identify its causes
• Interpret and summarise nutrition assessment results accurately and concisely
• Describe the types of interventions that are used to treat and prevent malnutrition in an emergency, when they might be used and the main steps for implementation
• Critically review the quality and appropriateness of emergency nutrition responses
• Describe the roles and responsibilities of Government, UN agencies and other organizations during an emergency and the mechanisms for coordination of nutrition-related activities

Course sessions are led by experts in the fields of nutrition and emergency nutrition programming. We aim to have a combination of regional and international experts involved with each course. In addition, we encourage participants to contribute their own experiences to help support the learning of the whole group.

• Course Package A: US$2,575 without accommodation
• Course Package B: US$3,485 with accommodation and breakfast

It is best to apply electronically. Please email your application form and copy of your CV to ADPC-coordinator@nietraining.net and copy to janette@adpc.net

Once accepted, applicants will receive detailed registration information and procedures for payment. Please apply at least one month prior to the date of the course you wish to attend.

The course is currently offered in English only. Extensive reading and participatory learning methods are used. Participants will receive pre-reading materials before arriving at the course site. An interactive simulation exercise on the last day gives participants an opportunity to use the skills and knowledge learned during the course. Participants should be fluent in reading and speaking English.