Topic: 2026 – Combating Malnutrition
Country: Iran
Delegate Name: Natalie Kingera
Iran
Committee: UNICEF
Combating Malnutrition
The discussion on child malnutrition is one important and crucial to the survival of next generations to come. Around the world, malnutrition remains one of the greatest threats to children and is responsible for around half the deaths under age 5. Many children are not getting the nutrition they need to grow up as a normal child. In Iran, effects like war and displacement are huge factors that play into the countries hunger crisis. Many other countries can relate to this, such as Sudan, Gaza, Mali, and Haiti. As the UN, it is our job to ensure that even with these factors, mothers and children are getting the resources they need to survive.
In Iran, malnutrition accounts for 35% of the deaths within the country. The largest cause for malnutrition is the inflation Iran has seen within our economy. The prices for protein, meat, fruits, and vegetables have continued to fluctuate. This creates a serious problem for impoverished families, as they are unable to buy the things they need to be healthy citizens. Malnutrition has also become a serious problem within schools. In August 2025, children started going back to school. Children that lived in rural parts of Iran had further walks that their classmates, which became a large problem. These kids would walk for long periods of time on an empty stomach, causing them to collapse. If by chance these kids would make it to school, empty stomachs made them unable to focus and learn throughout their day. Schools have seen many children suffering from stomach aches, abdominal pains, and general overall weakness. Along with this, between 50%-70% of Iran’s population has suffered with vitamin D deficiency, causing weakened immune systems and bone diseases. This information along with malnutrition overall poorly effects Iran’s health. Currently, the UNICEF is supporting the Iranian government to spread awareness about ways to combat this issue. Iran and the UNICEF are raising universal nutritional standards by implementing programs in primary healthcare. Doctors are required to collect data on nutritional statuses of mothers and children. Our government is currently working on creating healthy feeding practices for children under the age of 2 under nutritional surveillance and trying to target vulnerable groups within the country that need the most help. There are also current national dietary guidelines for schools within the works.
With all this information, the delegation of Iran understands the importance of this issue and that action must be taken by all countries to support the issue. This is why the delegation proposes that we must work together to provide access to nourishing foods around the world. A way this can happen is if we create the HWMF (Helping Worldly Malnourished Fund). This fund can be a branch from the UNICEF, where countries have access to helping fellow countries in need. Whether a country has resources to be able to help directly with the fund, or they have money to donate to support, this fund can make a real difference in fixing this issue. Through the fund, countries can support a country they choose, or they can pour in globally to a random country in need. Countries that are in need will sign themselves up for help, and their problems will be displayed on the HWMF website. The website with be accessible to anyone, where hopefully awareness about this issue will continue to spread.
MLA Citation
“Child Nutrition UNICEF Iran.” UNICEF, www.unicef.org/iran/en/child-nutrition#:~:text=The%20actions%20taken,The%20partners%20engaged. Accessed 9 Feb. 2026.
Mohades, Esmaeil. “Malnutrition Responsible for About 35% of Deaths in Iran.” Iran Focus, 21 Oct. 2025, iranfocus.com/uncategorized/55746-malnutrition-responsible-for-about-35-of-deaths-in-iran/#:~:text=By%20Esmaeil%20Mohades,Toughest%20Conditions%20Of%20Food%20Security’. Accessed 8 Feb. 2026.
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