'Free meal programs necessary at schools'

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Forty-five civil society organizations (CSOs) in Türkiye issued a joint statement "The Right of Children to Nutrition" and called for one free meal to be given at schools.

The statement is addressing "the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Family and Social Services, the Ministry of Health, local administrations, and others concerned."

It says, "We are inviting you to provide free food/meal at schools and at universities and to establish a legal framework for this in the scope of the related international conventions."

"Principle of equality"

The statement further includes reads, "Education institutions are the places to ensure that the children can exercise their rights, the places where children grow stronger as individuals with their rights and where monitoring can be made and an integral child protection system can be implemented.

"When we take into account that the children and the university students spend most of their time at school, planning and implementing school nutrition programs as a national policy is very significant.

"In line with the principle of equality, nutritious, safe, and balanced school meals should be provided to each child and to the university students free of charge with the cooperation of central and local administrations.

"Widespread deep poverty"

"In Türkiye which is a low-income country where the distribution of income is far from being equal or fair, and where there is widespread deep poverty, "nutrition at school" and "free meal" discussions are very necessary and important.

"We, therefore, call the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Family and Social Services, the Ministry of Health, local administrations, and others concerned to provide free food/meal at schools and at universities and to establish a legal framework for this in the scope of the related international conventions."

There are women's organizations, organizations of parents of school children, child rights commissions of bar associations, and trade unions among the 45 organizations that signed the statement. (EMK/PE)