CNF update to country eligibility
Approach ensures resources continue reaching children and women most at risk of undernutrition
The Child Nutrition Fund (CNF) has updated its country eligibility to ensure that resources remain focused where they can make the greatest impact. Guided by the latest UNICEF, WHO and World Bank Joint Malnutrition Estimates (JME), as well as the IPC Acute Malnutrition classifications, the review reflects new global data on child stunting and wasting and aligns with evolving operational needs.
Under the revised framework, eligibility decisions are now based on three key elements.
- First, the integration of updated JME data ensures the CNF responds to the most recent evidence on undernutrition.
- Second, a grace period will protect countries with active CNF partnerships that may no longer meet the current thresholds, maintaining continuity as programmes phase out.
- Third, the CNF uses the IPC Acute Malnutrition classification as a tool to identify additional high-need contexts.
This approach, endorsed by the CNF Steering Committee, strengthens the CNF’s ability to respond flexibly while maintaining transparency and evidence-based decision-making.
As of November 2025, 63 countries from Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America are eligible to receive CNF support, helping scale up essential nutrition services and strengthen national systems to deliver lasting results for children and women.
Please see the full list here.
