Last year, the association ran the campaign “Let Children Eat Properly at School.” This year, it has published a manifesto for children’s right to nutrition, underlining that one of the most important tools in the fight against child poverty is the provision of free school meals.
Let’s Ensure the Right to Nutrition in Schools!
Key demands highlighted in the manifesto include:
- Provision of at least one free, healthy, and balanced meal every day for every child
- Meals to be served without discrimination or stigmatization
- Menus tailored to children’s age, development, health, and cultural needs
- Attention to food safety and nutritional value
- Implementation planned with the participation of government, local authorities, civil society, teachers, parents, and children
- Resources to be provided from the state budget on a continuous and sustainable basis
- Monitoring and oversight processes to be transparent and participatory
- The right to nutrition to be guaranteed in the constitution
“Don’t say there are no resources”
The manifesto stresses that excuses beginning with “But…” are not acceptable:
“Don’t say there are no resources. Don’t say children won’t eat. Don’t say it is too difficult to monitor.
"Today, more than 100 countries successfully implement free school meal programs. With political will, cooperation, and social ownership, this is also possible in Türkiye.”
The Sulukule Volunteers Association concluded its call with the following words:
“We will not tolerate even a single child going hungry. To defend the right to nutrition is to defend an equal and just life for children. Let us ensure the right to nutrition in schools together. Together, it is possible!”