Consultant to strengthen implementation of multisectoral actions for nutrition and support institutionalizing national governance for nutrition in Tarawa, Kiribati 11 months (office based with travel)

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Kiribati faces a triple burden of malnutrition, encompassing child undernutrition, widespread micronutrient deficiencies, and high levels of overweight and obesity. These challenges are driven by degraded food environments and the long-term impacts of climate change on agriculture, including limited arable land and increasing reliance on imported foods. Undernutrition and micronutrient deficiencies remain high among children under 5, with 15 per cent stunted, 4 per cent wasted, and 49 per cent anemic. At the same time, overweight and obesity affect 55 per cent of older children and 79 per cent of adults (UNICEF, 2018). Infant and young child feeding practices are suboptimal, with fewer than 10 per cent of children under 2 meeting minimum dietary diversity1, and nearly 40 per cent of infants under six months not exclusively breastfed. Among children aged 5-19 years, consumption of sugar-sweetened beverage is high, with 25 per cent reported to consume them daily, further exacerbating poor nutrition outcomes. These concerning nutrition indicators drew the attention of Kiribati Government leadership, and the issue was formally discussed in Parliament in December 2022. Following this, a Parliamentary Nutrition Select Committee was established with a mandate to examine dietary practices and their impacts on the population, particularly children, review existing programmes, and develop recommendations to improve access to nutritious food. The Select Committee’s recommendations were presented and adopted by Parliament in December 2023 and translated into a roadmap comprising four phases, with the first phase focused on strengthening multisectoral accountability and monitoring for nutrition. A key recommendation under this phase was the establishment of a National Nutrition and Food Council within the Office of the President, viewed as critical for advancing whole-of-government coordination and accountability for nutrition. While draft Terms of Reference for the proposed Council were subsequently developed for review, progress toward formal institutionalization has since stalled. In this context, and consistent with UNICEF’s commitment to supporting multisectoral action to address the triple burden of malnutrition in the Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs), UNICEF Pacific Multi-Country Office is seeking a consultant to support Kiribati Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) and other relevant government ministries in institutionalizing effective governance arrangements for nutrition. The consultant will also support the advancement of the recommendations set by the Parliamentary Nutrition Select Committee.

The consultant will be supervised by the Health and Nutrition Officer in Kiribati Field Office with the overall guidance of the Nutrition Manager in Suva, UNICEF Pacific MCO.

The consultant will be based in Tarawa, Kiribati, for 165 working days while 15 working days will be remote work.

S/he will provide data-driven technical assistance through close coordination with government counterparts and development partners, including capacity-building and knowledge transfer.

The initial five working days of the assignment (inception report) and the last 10 working days of the assignment (final report) may be conducted remotely, with in‑country travel commencing upon approval of the inception report.

If you would like to know more about this consultancy, please review the complete Terms of Reference here:

To qualify as an advocate for every child, you will have:

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