Around the world, the right to health of millions is increasingly coming under threat. Diseases and disasters loom large as causes of death and disability. Conflicts are devastating lives, causing death, pain, hunger and psychological distress. The burning of fossil fuels is simultaneously driving the climate crisis and taking away our right to breathe clean air, with indoor and outdoor air pollution claiming a life every 5 seconds.
The WHO Council on the Economics of Health for All has found that at least 140 countries recognize health as a human right in their constitution. Yet countries are not passing and putting into practice laws to ensure their populations are entitled to access health services. This underpins the fact that at least 4.5 billion people — more than half of the world’s population — were not fully covered by essential health services in 2021.
To address these types of challenges, the theme for World Health Day 2024 is ‘My health, my right’. This year’s theme was chosen to champion the right of everyone, everywhere to have access to quality health services, education, and information, as well as safe drinking water, clean air, good nutrition, quality housing, decent working and environmental conditions, and freedom from discrimination.
But ensuring people’s health and well-being also means providing them with healthy and nutritious food! In this, sustainable public procurement is the key to ensuring healthy meals for all who eat in public canteens such as schools, hospitals and nursing homes. By purchasing high-quality food, public authorities enable vulnerable groups, such as children, hospital patients and the elderly, to have access to the nutrients they need. In addition, creating an environment that supports and enables healthy eating habits will have lasting positive effects on children’s health, school performance and overall development.
The EU is actively addressing child poverty, nutrition, and inequalities to promote social inclusion. Despite this, 25% of children are at risk of poverty or social exclusion and one in three school-aged children faces obesity or overweight issues. Therefore, schools are a lever for fostering and encouraging healthy, sustainable food choices not only among students but also within their families and the broader school community. Developing a healthy, sustainable food culture in and around schools is crucial to promote health and wellbeing, sustainable development, equality and climate resilience.
Currently, several EU policies concerning the school food system from a social justice, health, education and agricultural perspective are not well integrated. Therefore, stronger and well-integrated policies are needed to unleash the true potential of healthy, sustainable school food.
Policies that are also indicated and recommended by SchoolFood4Change, the project that will facilitate the transition to sustainable and healthy diets in12 European countries.
Read the SchoolFood4Change policy brief!
