In Peru, policymakers across ministries and levels of government united behind the goal of reducing childhood malnutrition and developed long-term policies accordingly.

Literature Review

Peru’s subsequent strong political commitment has been recognized in previous studies as a key driver of its success in improving childhood nutrition in a number of studies.    

Quantitative Analysis

Not applicable - no proxy variable for analysis.

Qualitative Analysis

Establishment of stunting reduction as top national political priority was noted universally by interviewees as key driver of stunting reduction. The roles of political champions (e.g., Alan Garcia), ministries in addition to the Ministry of Health, and regional and local governments were identified specifically as keys to Peru’s success. The 5x5x5 commitment was noted as having monumental impact.

“I believe that an important factor in stunting reduction is that it was included in the political agenda as a priority. The fact we had a President that talked about child health and its link with the country development, was crucial.”

- Coordinator, Nutrition and Child Development, Ministry of Development and Social Inclusion.

Beyond the 2006-era political commitment, interviewees noted that the establishment of the Acuerdo Nacional to help align political parties and establish long-term policy objectives across governments (specifically, the acknowledgement of the rights of children to fulfill their potential).

Conclusion

Despite the lack of quantitative evidence of impact, it is likely that political alignment and ownership were extremely important contributors to the decline in stunting prevalence.