World Food Day 2023
Every year, on October 16th, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization calls on government bodies, the private sector and civil society to work together to address challenges related to food accessibility. Water symbolizes life itself, and the right to water is celebrated as the theme of this year’s World Food Day. The connection between nourishment and sustenance is vividly apparent. Just as water represents a fundamental human right, the significance of proper nutrition is equally paramount, especially for our youngest members of society.
Every year, Breakfast Club of Canada joins the world’s leaders in raising awareness about the importance of access to food for all. BCC strongly advocates that every child, regardless of their circumstances, should have the right to food at school. The present worldwide and national food challenges underscore the immediate need to push ahead with this endeavour. This urgency arises as an increasing number of students are facing the possibility of attending school without having had breakfast for a multitude of reasons. 1 in 4 Canadian children is now grappling with food insecurity, a 27% increase from 2021 to 2022.
Our path forward involves the establishment of a national school food program, shaping a future where every child’s right to nourishment is recognized. According to a recent study by IRIS, only 12% of primary school children in Canada benefit from a school food program, which is significantly lower than the average of 61% observed in high-income countries.With the sobering awareness that Canada stands as the sole G7 country without such a program, we are moved to collectively urge the government to deliver on its promise to establish this essential initiative.