Paris, 31 May 2024 – Kirk Humanitarian today announced new support for UNICEF to provide essential prenatal vitamins to protect the nutrition of pregnant women.
The in-kind donation of US$34.4 million will ensure that 16 million women in 16 priority countries have access to prenatal vitamins by the end of 2025. Prenatal vitamins, or multi-vitamin micronutrient supplements (UNIMMAP MMS), containing 15 essential vitamins, offer significant benefits to mothers and their babies when taken during pregnancy.
The donation supports UNICEF’s recent Accelerated Improved Maternal Nutrition Plan, which aims to prevent anemia and malnutrition during pregnancy, helping women and children reach their full potential. The donation, along with additional support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, will provide all the MMS needed to implement the plan.
“Every woman around the world has the right to essential nutritional care during pregnancy,” said Victor Aguayo, UNICEF Director of Child Nutrition and Development. “We commend Kirk Humanitarian’s leadership in donating MMS and reaching 16 million women who will benefit from this powerful prenatal vitamin. We are committed to working with governments and development and humanitarian partners to fully achieve the vision of the Advance Maternal Nutrition Plan by 2024.”
The plan will be implemented through the UNICEF-led Child Nutrition Fund, a new funding mechanism that provides one-to-one funding to governments for the procurement of essential nutritional supplies like MMS.
“We are at a tipping point in the global effort to get high-quality prenatal vitamins to as many women as possible,” said Spencer Kirk, founder and managing director of Kirk Humanitarian. “Countries’ demand and readiness to scale up this life-saving intervention has never been higher, and mechanisms like the Child Nutrition Fund have enabled governments and donors to work together like never before. Kirk Humanitarian is pleased to collaborate with UNICEF in support of the Maternal Nutrition Accelerator Program, which will put immediate resources to work to accelerate progress toward reaching global nutrition goals for women and newborns.”
“Well-nourished women have safer pregnancies and can fully participate in society. Providing these essential prenatal vitamins helps reduce infant mortality and malnutrition and promote gender equality. We are grateful to Kirk Humanitarian for their generous support in helping women and children reach their full potential,” said Carla Haddad Mardini, UNICEF Director of Private Fundraising and Partnerships.
The announcement was made at Roland Garros during an event hosted by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs (MEAE), the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Foundation and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
The 16 high priority countries are:
Bangladesh
Burkina Faso
Ethiopia
Nigeria
Pakistan
Mongolia
Nepal
Philippines
Rwanda
Tanzania
Afghanistan
Madagascar
Myanmar
Somalia
Sri Lanka
Venezuela
About Kirk Humanitarian
Kirk Humanitarian is a private family charity whose mission is to promote the availability, access, understanding and use of the United Nations International Multi-Micronutrient Prenatal Preparation Multi-Micronutrient Supplement (UNIMMAP MMS) for women at risk of maternal malnutrition in order to create a healthier and more equitable world.
About UNICEF
UNICEF works in the world’s toughest places to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. In more than 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, to build a better world for everyone.
For more information about UNICEF and its work for children, visit unicef.org.
UNICEF does not endorse any companies, brands, products or services.
For further information, please contact:
Lucas Clarke Memler
UNICEF Geneva
contact address
