Food For Thought
The campaign to expand universal free school meals to all young people in Scotland.
About
The STUC Women’s Committee are leading the campaign to expand universal free school meals to all children and young people attending publicly funded schools in Scotland.
We are campaigning for a stigma free, dignified and universally free school meals provision approach that meets the needs of all children and young people’s right to food.
Hunger knows no age boundaries. A universally free school meal approach will help to mitigate poverty, reduce hunger, tackle the long-associated stigma and shame, embed equity, encourage a whole-school community approach to nutrition and meet all children and young people’s right to food, education and fun.
A school meal should form part of the school day for all children and young people irrespective of their school stage and age or financial circumstances. That is why we are calling upon the Scottish Government to expand universal free school meals to all today.
“The Right to Food is a right that isn't upheld for far too many young people in Scotland. Extending free school meals for all pupils, including those in secondary school, will help all young people to access good quality, nutritious food. Young people have told us that being able to access free school meals would improve their ability to learn throughout the school day while also realising their Right to Food.”
— Abbie Wright MSYP, SYP Campaigns Trustee