From the 7th-12th July 2024, the Kenya Legal and Ethical Issues Network on HIV & AIDS (KELIN) participated in the 2nd Pan-African Legal Symposium in Mombasa, Kenya. The symposium was convened by the Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI) & International Institute for Legislative Affairs (IILA), under the theme “Leveraging Evidence-Based Legal Innovations for Healthier Food Systems in Africa“. The symposium brought together representatives from more than 17 African countries, 2 Latin America countries and the United States of America; aimed at exploring how robust legal frameworks can strengthen healthier food environments across the continent while emphasizing the crucial role of evidence-based strategies in shaping legislative responses to public health challenges.
Kenya has gradually prioritized policy interventions to address diet-related Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) through measures such as the Nutrient Profile Model (NPM) and Front of Pack Labels (FOPL), regulations on marketing restrictions, fiscal measures on Sugar Sweetened Beverages (SSBs), and the elimination of Industrially Produced Trans Fats (iTFAs). Civil Society Organizations such as KELIN and IILA as well as research institutions and academia are at the forefront of advocating for these policies and regulations as viable solutions. While there has been significant progress, much more needs to be done to establish an effective policy and regulatory framework to address these public health issues.
“This symposium has provided an opportunity to discuss legal innovations and ideas, including legal/policy research, legislative advocacy, and litigation, among others, that are being applied in several countries in Africa to address diet related #NCDs. It has served as a platform for peer learning, lesson sharing, and benchmarking on evidence, policy, and practice in food and nutrition governance. The discussions and activities have inspired and ignited our collective passion and commitment to NCD control and prevention” – Celine Awuor, Chief Executive Officer, IILA.
KELIN greatly benefitted from best practice exchanged in the discussions and have gained great ideas for better programming and litigation concepts to borrow for our food environment interventions.
“I am excited to use best practice exchanged from Africa, America and South America during the 2nd African Legal Symposium to drive the food policy agenda in Kenya focusing on protection of consumer rights, access to information and promoting the rights to the healthy food” Martha Ogutu, KELIN
For more information, please contact:
Martha Ogutu
Programme Officer, Health and Governance
P. O. Box 112 – 00202 KNH Nairobi,
Tel: 020, 2515790
E-mail: marthaogutu@kelinkenya.org
Website: www.kelinkenya.org
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kelinkenya
