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100 signatures reached
To: The Vice-Chancellors of South African universities
Commit to improve your campus food environment
We are Fix My Food South Africa, a youth led movement asking to have access to affordable, nutritious food. We are supported by UNICEF South Africa, within a global movement present in more than 10 countries, that is seeking to advocate for the improvement of the failing food systems in South Africa. Together, we are making a call for justice. A call for dignity. A call for leadership to recognise that nutritious food is the cornerstone of this country’s health, equity, and future.
As students across South African universities, we call for access to food that is safe, nutritious, and affordable. We need food that enables us to thrive, not just survive. We are asking for access to a healthy diet that nourishes both our minds and bodies, empowering us to succeed academically and personally, and to build sustainable livelihoods tomorrow. Moreover, we need nutritious food that helps to prevent us from developing non-communicable diseases.
Why is this important?
We all need daily access to nutritious, safe, affordable and fresh foods, including nutritious meals, and this should not be just for the privileged few. We need effective food and nutrition standards that make nutritious food the norm, not a luxury. Bold policies are required to limit the reach and influence of the Food and Beverage industry, by restricting the advertising, promotion, and sponsorships of unhealthy foods on our campuses. We also call for food packs that are distributed on our campuses by various stakeholders, including the food industry, to be filled with nutritious food items that help us meet our dietary needs and support our well-being.
Access to nutritious food is a basic human right, but many students across the country are unable to exercise this right. Affordable and nutritious food is beyond the reach of most students. Every day, there are thousands of students who struggle to eat a single nutritious meal while others do not eat at all. Thousands of students are left with no choice but to eat unhealthy foods that are nutritionally poor. Thousands of students are expected to make do with cheap and quick unhealthy foods and snacks from vendors inside and outside campuses. And the effect is that this lack of affordable, nutritious food on campus is compromising our academic performance and health.
According to Section 27(1)(b) of South Africa’s Constitution, every person has the right to access sufficient food and water. Yet, on our campuses and in many of our communities, that right remains unrealised for countless students due to socioeconomic conditions and limited access to healthy, safe and affordable food.
Studies show that over 60% of university students in South Africa face food insecurity [1]. These are not just statistics; they are everyday stories of missed meals, diminished focus, and delayed dreams. Together this is shaping a generation facing the long-term consequences of food insecurity and ill-health.
However, it does not have to be this way.
As a university leader, YOU hold the power to shift our campus from a state of mere survival to an environment where students can truly thrive and grow holistically.
As Fix My Food, we are calling on university leadership to commit to meaningful dialogue with students to co-create solutions that ensure heathier food environments for all students.
We are asking leadership to adopt the Fix My Food Campus Commitment to engage with students and commit to improvements in the campus food environment over the next 12 months that ensure:
- Access on campus to healthy, affordable, nutritious foods every single day.
- Effective food and nutrition standards that make nutritious food a reality.
- Policies that restrict advertising, marketing, promotional events and provision of unhealthy foods to students on campus.
As Fix My Food Advocates, we are asking the leaders of South African universities to stand up for food justice by creating and ensuring heathier campus food environments for all students.
By signing onto the Fix My Food Campus Commitment, you are not just investing in student well-being; you are upholding a fundamental human right guaranteed to every individual in South Africa.
Let us work together to build a country where access to affordable, nutritious food is not just a dream but a reality for all students.
References
[1] Higher Health 2021-2022 Annual Report: https://higherhealth.ac.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2021-22-annual-report.pdf
Please help us take a step closer to healthier campus food environments by completing a short survey about your campus food environment. Your experiences and insights will be used to further shape and strengthen the call for meaningful change. Follow this link to share your voice: https://wa.me/27832838313?text=FOOD