Youth from across the Caribbean are demanding healthier school food environments. On July 3rd – the first day of the 47th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM – youth health advocates in The Bahamas, Barbados, Dominica, Jamaica, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines will initiate “Hope for the Future” – a significant gathering of key stakeholders in each territory to underscore the need for comprehensive school nutrition policies that regulate the sale and marketing of ultra processed products from school settings and are supported by octagonal front of package warning label to help school communities easily identify foods which should not be available in school settings. This is an essential strategy for building healthy and resilient communities. Notably, nearly 40 youth health advocates are leading the charge across participating countries.
Youth in Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis and Trinidad and Tobago will be hosting related activities to spotlight the issue. These events will serve as a compelling reminder to local and regional leaders of their commitment to implementing health-protecting strategies, including evidence-based healthy food policies. In line with the food and security thematic area of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM, youth hope that healthy school nutrition policies will be considered and urgently implemented to ensure healthy school food environments are prioritized.
In February 2024, the Healthy Caribbean Coalition (HCC) and Healthy Caribbean Youth (HCY) organized “Caribbean Youth Voices in Health Advocacy Spaces – Healthy Food Policy Action,” in partnership with the Jamaica Youth Advocacy Network (JYAN), the Heart Foundation of Jamaica (HFJ), The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Barbados (HSFB), and UNICEF Jamaica. This three-day health policy-focused youth meeting added momentum to the efforts aimed at empowering the region’s youth to advocate for the implementation of Healthy Food Policies, including octagonal front-of-package nutrition warning labeling and restricting the availability and marketing of unhealthy products in school settings. Over 50 young people attended this event.
All children in the Caribbean deserve to learn and grow in healthy school environments that are not inundated with ultraprocessed products. It has been 17 years since the region’s leaders unified their vision for a healthier Caribbean through the Port of Spain Declaration. Now, it is time for them to revisit previous commitments, including healthier school food environments, #actonfacts and walk the talk for better nutrition in schools. They have the support of the region’s youth.
Danielle Walwyn
Advocacy Officer, HCC and Lead, Healthy Caribbean Youth (youth arm of the HCC)
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