Inter-Sectoral Collaboration (ISC) Help Desk

Caroline Abla joined the GNC-CT team at the end of December 2020 as the Inter-Sectoral Collaboration (ISC) Helpdesk. Caroline has a master’s degree in public health and over 28 years of international experience in managing nutrition and public health programs both in the field and at headquarters. 

Caroline has consulted with UNICEF and WFP on the development and testing of an integrated multi-sectoral training package and programming for better nutrition outcomes in emergencies; with UNICEF and the Ministry of Health in Oman on Barrier Analysis studies focused on infant and young child feeding (IYCF) and iron folate consumption for pregnant women; with the Emergency Nutrition Network on IYCF in Emergencies including a review of complimentary feeding in emergencies; and with Action Against Hunger and UNICEF on Nutrition in Emergencies training for Myanmar, Indonesia, ASEAN countries, and the Middle East.  
Prior to her consultancy work, Caroline worked with International Medical Corps as the Senior Director of the Technical unit and the director of the Nutrition, Food Security and Livelihoods unit. Caroline has also held technical advisory and management positions at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Bureau of Global Health and USAID's Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance.

In her capacity as the ISC Helpdesk, Caroline will provide day-to-day remote technical support on strengthening inter-sectoral collaboration to country nutrition sectors/clusters including capacity building, documenting learning, and conducing webinars in English and French. At a global level, the ISC Helpdesk will plan and actively participate in inter-sectoral/cluster platform meetings and initiatives to develop guidance, tools, and country level support, involving at least 3 or all 4 clusters (Health, WASH, Food Security, and Nutrition); conduct monthly calls with the GNC Inter-cluster Nutrition Working Group and coordinate the development of intersectoral initiatives and the provision of support to countries; in close coordination with the Health, WASH and Food Security clusters’ focal points for ISC and related working groups, expand current bilateral collaboration building on current and past progress to develop guidance, tools, and country level support; support at least two countries in documenting case studies on ISC among the 4 clusters and organize and conduct a webinar in English and French on case studies developed; in collaboration with other ISC focal points and related working groups contribute to training country staff and partners on ISC; and in coordination with the 4 global cluster coordinators, USAID/OFDA, and other donors, contribute to the organization and implementation of a high level donor event on multi sectoral/cluster collaboration.

Please feel free to reach out to Caroline with your ISC questions. She can be reached at cabla@unicef.org