On July 3 and July 5 2024, youth advocates in The Bahamas and Montserrat, respectively, participated in Hope for the Future – a collective call by youth for improved school food environments across the Caribbean.
This regional-youth led activity emerged from the “Caribbean Youth Voices in Health Advocacy Spaces – Healthy Food Policy Action”, the first of its kind youth meeting on Healthy Food Policies held in February 2024, aims to highlight youth support for school nutrition policies that regulate the sale and marketing of ultra processed products in and around schools. This policy should be supported by the implementation of Octagonal front of package warning labelling.
Dr. Tiffannie Skerritt, CARICOM Youth Ambassador for Montserrat, led the charge locally, gathering together key stakeholders such as health practitioners, youth leaders and civil society organization representatives to discuss the concerning rise in childhood obesity and NCDs in Montserrat as well as strategies to build a healthier environment, including a healthier school food environment. The event was covered by local media houses.
She noted, “The forum was well supported by key stakeholders to include youth, civil society and policy makers. The forum provided an opportunity to revive the conversation around school nutrition policies and bring greater awareness to the need for front of package labelling. Key interventions summarized epidemiology data about childhood obesity in Montserrat, and obstacles delaying policy implementation in the past. Visionaries endorsed the draft policy and pledged their support in seeing it go ahead. Details from a student focus group expressing challenges to seeking healthier food options in their school environments were also presented. Overall; attendees benefited from this youth led activity with local media coverage ensuring the message from this was circulated via news broadcasts and articles.”
Healthy Caribbean Youth members and members of the Healthy Bahamas Coalition led an engaging panel discussion in Rawson square in close proximity, symbolically, to the National Parliament Building. A panel of predominantly youth leaders shared the current challenges they face in navigating their school food environment and their vision for an environment where the healthy choice is the easy choice. The event was covered by Eyewitness News and ZNS News.
Kaj Archer, who guided the team, noted that, “The Hope for the Future event provided a platform for the youth of The Bahamas to stand up and speak out about their fundamental right to healthy foods in school environments. The youth panelists articulated their vision for the future, emphasizing accessible and affordable healthy food options, regulation of ultra-processed foods, and educational initiatives to foster healthy relationships with food among school-aged children. This event underscored the importance of involving youth in policy discussions that directly impact their development.”
On September 25 2024, youth from across the Caribbean will host similar events calling our regional leaders to lead, putting youth first. Ahead of this, youth took over social media on August 12 – International Youth Day to urge governments to prioritize healthy school food environments. On August 14th, key youth advocates and stakeholders from across the Caribbean hosted an Instagram Live discussing the topic further.
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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