Khairpur: The International Rescue Committee (IRC), under the European Union–funded project “Strengthening Local Civil Society and Community-Based Organizations and their Capacity in the Nutrition Sector in Sindh” (SIGN), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Shah Abdul Latif University (SALU), Khairpur, to foster joint social research and evidence-based Social and Behavior Change Communication (SBCC) initiatives.

The SIGN program is being jointly implemented by the IRC, Medical Emergency Resilience Foundation (MERF), and Strengthening Participatory Organization (SPO).

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Vice Chancellor of SALU, Prof. Dr. Yousuf Khushk, said:
“This partnership enables students and faculty to engage in applied research on adolescent and maternal nutrition. By working with CSOs, we can build capacity, strengthen academic and practitioner linkages, and generate evidence that informs policy and community-level solutions in Sindh.”

Highlighting the significance of bridging academia and civil society, Dr. Ranomal Lohano, Project Coordinator IRC, noted:
“Collaboration between universities and CSOs is essential to address malnutrition. Through this EU-funded initiative, IRC and SALU will generate evidence that strengthens SBCC programming, builds local capacity, and supports evidence-based policymaking in Sindh.”

Dr. Ali Raza Lashari, Principal Investigator of the initiative, emphasized that SALU, in collaboration with local CSOs including BSWA (Khairpur) and HAWA (Ghotki), will lead community-based field research. He added that this approach will keep findings rooted in local realities and translate them into practical, sustainable solutions.

The event was attended by senior university and project officials, including Pro-Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Wahid Bux Jatoi, Registrar Dr. Zulfiqar Shaikh, IRC BCC Specialist Mr. Zaheer Ahmed, Director Finance Mr. Najam Din Soho, Director Colleges Mr. Nazeer Ahmed Mangnijo, Dr. Sahib Oad, Mr. Imran Somroo, and Mr. Waseem.

This collaboration is part of the EU’s broader commitment to improving nutrition outcomes in Sindh. Since 2010, the European Union has provided both humanitarian and long-term development assistance in Pakistan, supporting government-led initiatives such as the Women and Children/Infants Improved Nutrition in Sindh (WINS) and the Programme for Improved Nutrition in Sindh (PINS) under the province’s Accelerated Action Plan for the Reduction of Stunting and Malnutrition.

By aligning academia, civil society, and international partners, this partnership aims to address the persistent challenge of malnutrition in Sindh through research, innovation, and evidence-based policymaking.