RESOURCES

The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) launched a comprehensive set of guidelines today designed to enhance communication surrounding acute food insecurity and malnutrition.

With food and nutrition crises persisting – affecting millions of people in different parts of the world – demand for actionable information has never been higher. Effective communication of acute food insecurity and malnutrition information must clearly and succinctly describe the context, causes and outcomes.

Based on the IPC Technical Manual Version 3.1, these guidelines are intended for individuals involved in communication, advocacy, media reporting, humanitarian response planning, funding, and/or reporting. Their purpose is to assist communicators in effectively informing non-specialist audiences about IPC findings in a manner that is accurate, informative, accessible, and empowering.

The IPC Communication Guidelines are the result of a collaborative effort involving communicators and technical experts from 19 partner agencies. This collective work has led to the creation of a robust communication framework.

The guidelines are designed to empower communicators, media professionals, technical officers, and decision-makers with the tools to communicate IPC acute food insecurity and malnutrition findings clearly and accurately.

Adhering to these shared communication principles can steer public discourse towards clear understanding and foster informed and effective decision-making and response. These guidelines cover various topics, including key concepts, definitions of IPC phases and different approaches to communicating effectively to the lay public.

The IPC supports decisions in over 30 countries globally, including in the most complex contexts, such as Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Gaza Strip, Haiti, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Yemen, among others.

This year, the IPC initiative celebrates its 20th anniversary since its inception. It systematically provides information on the scale and severity of food insecurity and malnutrition, where food and nutrition crises prevail.

Download the IPC Communication Guidelines