UN backs plans to ensure regular, healthy school meals

Rome, Nov 16 (Prensa Latina) In a joint declaration on Tuesday, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), World Food Program (WFP) and the World Health Organization (WHO) committed to assisting the School Meals Coalition in which over 60 nations envision a nutritious meal in school for every child in need by 2030.

Led by France and Finland, the coalition also committed to “smart” school meals programmes that combine regular meals in school with complementary health and nutrition interventions for children’s growth and learning.

Among the UN´s goals are to work with governments to meet the Coalition´s objectives, to which it will provide technical and operational support, promote funding and help collect better data on the impact of health and nutrition programs in schools.

In 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic caused extensive disruption to schools and education worldwide and today, over 150 million children globally are still missing out on meals and essential health and nutrition services.