Child rights advocate says lax nutrition policy undermines UN obligations

Child rights advocate Faith Marshall-Harris on Thursday stepped up demands for stricter enforcement of the schools’ nutrition policy, charging that the nation faces a growing health crisis as childhood obesity rates climb.

Faith Marshall-Harris, an expert on the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child, who chairs the national committee on the 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Children, warned that lax implementation is jeopardising children’s health and undermining international obligations.

Her comments came one day after she publicly urged parents and guardians to desist from giving children sugary snacks and other unhealthy foods as a reward.

In a statement, she raised concerns over what she describes as a “tug-of-war” between school canteen operators and outside vendors, leading to a breakdown in adherence to the policy.

“The local committee has become aware of anecdotal evidence that enforcement of the nutrition policy is proving difficult and elusive,” she said. “Canteen operators within the school compound initially complied with the policy, only to find themselves struggling with losses while vendors just outside the school gates freely sold prohibited foods, achieving volume sales.”

According to Marshall-Harris, this market imbalance has forced many canteen owners to revert to selling unhealthy drinks and snacks, prioritising financial survival over the policy’s objectives.

She declared: “The profit motive kicked in. Many canteen operators argued: ‘We have to mek an honest dollar, too.’ And there were many who expressed sympathy for their position. But this is at the expense of our children’s health.”

The issue of unhealthy food consumption among schoolchildren is one of urgent concern, given rising obesity rates and associated health risks. Marshall-Harris cited the growing prevalence of childhood obesity, linking it to conditions such as hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and insulin resistance, which often persist into adulthood and lead to premature death.

“A critical part of addressing this crisis is reducing the demand for unhealthy foods. We need to alter children’s tastes through education while also enforcing a ban on the marketing and sale of these products,” she asserted. “There will be an outcry, but we must educate in order to liberate our children.”

Marshall-Harris emphasised that this stance aligns with the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child’s mandate, which calls for stricter regulation of fast food and highly processed products that are high in fat, sugar, and salt. The committee has repeatedly expressed concern over the aggressive marketing of these foods to children, calling for measures to curb their influence.

“[The committee’s] general comment registers concerns regarding children’s exposure to fast foods that are energy-dense, micronutrient-poor, and often contain high levels of caffeine and other harmful substances,” she said. “The availability of such foods in schools must be controlled, and marketing strategies must be reviewed and regulated.”

Marshall-Harris pointed to Article 24 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which requires governments to regularly assess national strategies on child health and nutrition. She also stressed that private businesses must be held accountable for their role in shaping children’s food choices.

“The convention requires that businesses undertake children’s rights due diligence—ensuring that they identify, prevent, and mitigate their negative impact on children’s right to health,” she explained. “Regulation must go beyond schools. We must guard against the promotion of harmful foods in places where children congregate and are more susceptible to influence.”

Marshall-Harris’s call for action underscores the need for legislation and robust enforcement mechanisms to uphold the school nutrition policy. With childhood obesity on the rise, she argues that Barbados must meet its international obligations and prioritise children’s well-being over commercial interests.

“Our strategies must include legislation and enforcement. We have a duty to ensure that all sectors, including the private sector, respect and fulfil their responsibilities to the child,” she concluded. “The time for action is now.” (SZB)