Over US$111 million committed to the CNF at Global Citizen NOW

At the Global Citizen NOW: Impact Sessions in New York, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, leaders came together for a high-level panel on tackling undernutrition: ‘From Investment to Impact: Tackling the Nutrition Crisis for Children and Women.’

Moderated by Jessica Malaty Rivera, the session featured Baroness Chapman, Minister of State at the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Omar Abdi, Deputy Executive Director of Programmes, UNICEF, Dr. Gloria J. Balboa, Assistant Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health in the Philippines, and Anna Hakobyan, Chief Impact Officer and Executive Director of Nutrition at the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation.

GC NOW: Impact Sessions

Undernutrition remains a silent crisis, contributing to nearly half of child deaths worldwide. Yet, as panellists emphasized, it is a solvable challenge. The session highlighted the urgency of mobilizing resources and collective action, showcasing how the CNF is uniquely positioned to transform global nutrition security. With its innovative financing model – including the historic Bezos family match of up to US$500 million – the CNF has the potential to double every contribution, saving lives and strengthening nutrition systems in high-need countries

New commitments announced

The session was also the stage for significant new pledges to the CNF:

• Government of Canada (Global Affairs Canada) – CAD$78 million (US$56.5 million)
• The Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) – US$39.95 million
• The Government of Ireland (Irish Aid) – €10 million (US$11.79 million)
• The ELMA Relief Foundation – US$4 million

Together, these commitments total over US$111.5 million – and with the Match Challenge, the value could double to more than US$224 million.

Building momentum

These announcements underscore the growing momentum behind the CNF, as governments, donors and philanthropies rally around proven solutions to ensure children and mothers have access to the nutrition they need to thrive. As one of the panel’s closing moments affirmed, this is the scale of ambition required to end undernutrition and build stronger foundations for health and equity worldwide.