Deadline: 12-Jun-2026
The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) Kenya is seeking partners to support evidence generation, policy dialogue, and advocacy to improve healthy food environments and strengthen regulatory frameworks for commercially processed complementary foods (CPCFs) for children in Kenya.
The programme focuses on improving child nutrition outcomes by addressing food quality, safety, labelling standards, and marketing practices related to commercially produced foods for infants and young children aged 6–36 months.
Overview
This initiative aims to strengthen evidence-informed policy and regulatory systems governing child food environments in Kenya. It responds to increasing reliance on commercially processed complementary foods due to urbanisation, caregiver time constraints, and rising food costs.
While CPCFs can contribute to dietary adequacy, product quality varies significantly, with concerns around high sugar, salt, and unhealthy fat content, as well as inconsistent labelling and marketing practices.
Programme Objectives
The assignment aims to:
- Strengthen evidence generation on commercially processed complementary foods
- Support policy dialogue on child nutrition and food environments
- Improve regulatory frameworks for food quality and safety
- Enhance food labelling and marketing standards for children’s foods
- Promote healthy dietary environments for infants and young children
- Address risks of overweight and obesity in early childhood
- Strengthen stakeholder engagement and policy coherence
- Support youth participation in nutrition and food policy discussions
- Promote responsible food marketing practices
- Strengthen governance of child-centred food systems
Key Thematic Areas
The programme focuses on:
- Nutritional quality of commercially processed complementary foods
- Food safety and composition standards (sugar, salt, fats)
- Food labelling and consumer information systems
- Marketing practices targeting infants and young children
- Legal and regulatory frameworks for child food products
- Policy coherence in nutrition governance
- Healthy food environment design and governance
- Prevention of childhood overweight and obesity
- Participatory approaches in nutrition policy development
Context and Rationale
UNICEF Kenya highlights several structural challenges affecting child nutrition:
- Increasing urbanisation and changing food systems
- Time poverty among caregivers
- Rising cost of nutritious foods
- Growing dependence on commercially processed foods
- Variability in nutritional quality of available CPCFs
- Limited regulatory provisions for CPCF nutrient standards
- Gaps in nutrient profiling tools for infant and young child foods
Existing frameworks such as the Kenya Breast Milk Substitutes Act provide partial protection but do not fully regulate the composition and quality standards of CPCFs.
Programme Scope
The selected partner will undertake:
Evidence Generation and Research
- Desk-based evidence synthesis on CPCFs in Kenya
- Analysis of nutritional quality and market practices
- Review of existing scientific and policy evidence
Legal and Policy Review
- Assessment of current regulatory frameworks
- Identification of gaps in CPCF regulation
- Analysis of international best practices
Stakeholder Engagement
- Consultations with government institutions
- Engagement with academia and civil society
- Dialogue with development partners
- Inclusion of youth-led and community organisations
Advocacy and Policy Dialogue
- Facilitation of multi-stakeholder discussions
- Development of policy recommendations
- Support for regulatory reform processes
- Awareness generation on healthy food environments
Youth Engagement
- Meaningful participation of adolescents and youth
- Co-creation of advocacy tools and campaigns
- Documentation of youth-led engagement processes
Expected Outputs
The assignment will deliver:
- Inception report including methodology and workplan
- Evidence synthesis report on CPCFs and food environments
- Legal and regulatory policy review report
- Policy dialogue and advocacy documentation
- Recommendations for improving food quality and labelling standards
- Youth engagement and co-creation package
Indicative Budget
- Total budget: USD 280,000
How to Apply
Step 1: Confirm Eligibility
Applicants must:
- Be legally registered organizations
- Have expertise in nutrition, food systems, policy research, or public health
- Demonstrate experience in evidence synthesis and policy engagement
Step 2: Develop Technical Proposal
Include:
- Research methodology and analytical framework
- Policy review approach
- Stakeholder engagement strategy
- Youth participation plan
Step 3: Outline Implementation Plan
Provide:
- Workplan and timeline
- Roles and responsibilities
- Data collection and synthesis methods
- Communication and advocacy approach
Step 4: Submit Application
Submit the full proposal in line with UNICEF requirements, including technical and financial components.
Tips for Applicants
- Demonstrate strong expertise in nutrition policy and food systems governance
- Use robust evidence synthesis methodologies
- Ensure meaningful youth engagement, not symbolic participation
- Align recommendations with feasible regulatory reforms
- Incorporate international best practices on child food standards
- Focus on practical policy applicability
- Strengthen multi-sectoral stakeholder coordination
Why This Programme Matters
Child nutrition is increasingly influenced by commercial food environments. In Kenya, rising reliance on processed complementary foods has created both opportunities and risks for infant and young child nutrition. This programme strengthens evidence-based policymaking to ensure safer, healthier, and more transparent food systems that support optimal child development and reduce long-term health risks.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- What is the main goal of the programme?
- To improve regulation and policy frameworks for commercially processed complementary foods in Kenya.
- What is the funding amount?
- USD 280,000 (indicative budget).
- Who will implement the programme?
- A selected partner organization working with UNICEF Kenya.
- What age group is targeted?
- Children aged 6–36 months.
- What are CPCFs?
- Commercially processed complementary foods designed for infants and young children.
- What are the key focus areas?
- Food quality, safety, labelling, marketing, and nutrition policy.
- Is youth participation included?
- Yes, meaningful youth engagement is a core component.
Conclusion
The UNICEF Kenya initiative strengthens evidence-based governance of child food environments by addressing gaps in the regulation of commercially processed complementary foods. Through research, policy dialogue, and youth engagement, the programme aims to improve food quality standards, promote healthier diets for young children, and support stronger nutrition policy frameworks in Kenya.
For more information, visit UN Partner Portal.
