In 2011 Save the Children, through financial support from UNICEF and Irish Aid, facilitated the establishment of Partnership for Nutrition in Tanzania (PANITA). Launched in August 2011, PANITA is a consortium of civil society organizations working on nutrition focused and nutrition sensitive sectors, such as agriculture, livestock development, water and sanitation, health, education, economic empowerment and social protection. The coalition is governed by a board of directors with 6 members and secretariat responsible for day to day activities of the partnership. PANITA a renewed effort in the fight against malnutrition in Tanzania has been realized through advocacy. PANITA has grown tremendously from an initial 94 to the current 306 civil society organisations across the country. PANITA has secured a seat at the national High Level Nutrition Steering Committee which is formally charged to oversee the Scaling up Nutrition (SUN) movement in Tanzania. Moreover, 10 members of House of Representatives in the government of Zanzibar and 24 MPs of the Union Parliament are now serving as nutrition advocacy champions. The process of establishing district level steering committees is ongoing.40 PANITA members joined the committees in 2013, advocating for prioritization of nutrition in district plans. PANITA aiming at strengthening civil society organizations at national and sub-national levels to participate in policy, planning, and budgeting for nutrition and to mobilize communities.
