How NAF commitments are verified

The process described on this page refers to NAF commitment registration established prior to the Tokyo Nutrition for Growth (N4G) Summit in 2021. This process will be updated in 2024 in preparation for the Paris N4G Summit in 2025.

Stakeholders are invited to register nutrition commitments to the Nutrition Accountability Framework at any time. The registration form collects information via standardised data fields that are based on SMART principles (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound). The Global Nutrition Report (GNR) reviews and assesses information provided for eligibility, internal consistency, completeness and clarity, and assigns commitments to relevant action categories (using the Nutrition Action Classification System) and SMARTness levels (using the Nutrition Action SMARTness Index). Eligible commitments and their corresponding data are publicly shared via the NAF Commitment Tracker.

As part of the verification process, the GNR contacts stakeholders with registered commitments to obtain clarifications on data provided and/or missing data, if needed. The verification is conducted in English and via email, supported by (web)calls as appropriate. Through this process, the GNR aims to help stakeholders improve the formulation of their existing commitment(s), and as such its SMARTness. Based on revised data obtained (once verification is complete), GNR re-assesses potential eligibility, action area classification and SMARTness for each commitment goal(s). The verification should not change the intent of the commitment or data already provided unless there is an error associated with it.

The NAF does not have a regulatory nature with regard to validating self-reported data against other sources. As such, during the verification process, the GNR:

• Does not validate the truthfulness or accuracy of self-reported information against other sources and/or country monitoring systems.
• Does not confirm that the nutrition actions registered are evidence-based and align with national priorities and/or internationally accepted standards.

Commitments are initially shown in their pre-verified form, with the verification status tagged as ‘pending’ while the verification process is underway. Once the verification is completed for each commitment goal, the online verification status changes to:

• Verified. This means that all data relevant to the commitment is available and clear, either as registered (no clarifications required) or after the verification process (after all requested clarifications were obtained).
• Partially verified. This means that some of the requested clarifications were obtained.
• Unverified. This means that none of the requested clarifications was obtained or that the stakeholder is unresponsive.

A commitment can have multiple goals and each of those may have different verification status. The NAF Commitment Tracker is updated regularly to include newly registered commitments and to provide newly obtained data for existing commitments (once the verification process is complete).

A similar verification process is followed for the data submitted as part of the progress reporting of registered commitments.