HDP requests food support for children at schools amid economic crisis, poverty

* Photo: Anadolu Agency (AA)

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Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Muş MP Gülistan Kılıç-Koçyiğit has submitted a legislative proposal requesting that children be provided with food support at schools. In her proposal, the MP has especially referred to the recent economic crisis and deep poverty in Turkey.

In the justification of her legislative proposal, HDP's Kılıç-Koçyiğit has said, "Coupled with the deepening poverty, the material-spiritual crisis faced by especially women and children is aggravating by the day. While there are problems with accessing basic food products, increasing food prices and price increases emerge as factors that aggravate poverty."

The MP has noted that milk, one of the basic food products, has seen a nearly 50-percent price increase in this period. Referring to a recent statement of the Milk, Meat and Cattle Breeders Association (TÜSEDAD), she has underlined that a liter of pasteurized milk, which currently costs 8-9 Turkish Lira (TRY) at markets, may cost 15-16 TRY in April 2022.

'Children subjected to hunger, ignored'

"In fact, prices have seen the highest levels in world countries since 2011, according to the United Nations (UN) price indexes," HDP's Gülistan Kılıç-Koçyiğit has noted, raising concerns that "this situation, unfortunately, aggravates inequalities and leads to violations of human rights."

She has said, "The socioeconomic inequality and poverty are, without a doubt, a result of countries' economic and social policies."

Noting that "this is also the case for our country," Gülistan Kılıç-Koçyiğit has underlined, "We would like to note that children, the subjects of our legislative proposal, have been subjected to a deep hunger; they have been even ignored in recent periods."

"The failure of a child to access a safe and healthy environment, food and water since the moment she was born has an effect on her entire life and may cause irrecoverable problems," the MP has said, adding:

"For instance, the sale of baby formula in locked cases in markets is a striking example of the crisis experienced in recent periods. While access to safe food is the most basic right, it is a field under the control and jurisdiction of the state, as is required by the principle of social state.

"Unfortunately, several children who are unable to eat healthily may have adverse living conditions and suffer from stunting."

Food support to children 2 times a day

Further in her legislative proposal, HDP Muş MP Gülistan Kılıç-Koçyiğit has raised concerns that as a result of the current economic crisis in Turkey, families have been unable to offer sufficient and healthy food to their children and children may not even access education.

"Given that the consumption of safe food is directly related to a healthy life for children, it needs to be ensured that every child has access to this right. For this reason, food support to children of all ages at schools has to be discussed on a legal basis," the MP has explained.

She has requested that students be offered food services at all educational institutions affiliated with the Ministry of National Education and the ingredients to be contained by this food (in terms of proteins, carbohydrates, calcium, vitamins, etc.) be determined with the help of nutritionists.

The MP has demanded a legal amendment to ensure that children who spend the entire day at schools are provided with food support in the morning and in the afternoon and the ones who spend half a day at school are provided with food support once a day. (AÖ/SD)