Patna Declaration: Uniting Political Parties for Children's Health

 On February 7, 2024, in Patna, a significant public dialogue took place at the Kasturba Gandhi Assembly Hall within the premises of the Gandhi Museum. The event, which saw participation from 85 individuals, was organized by a coalition consisting of the Peoples’ Vigilance Committee on Human Rights (PVCHR), People’s Initiative for Participatory Action for Food Labelling (PIPAL), All India Hawkers Forum, Bandi Adhikar Andolan, and Indian Roti Bank. The primary focus of this gathering was to advocate for "Warning label Front-of-Package Labeling" as a means to address the rising concerns of non-communicable diseases, malnutrition, and obesity.

In a historic move, all political parties in Bihar have come together to endorse the Patna Declaration, a significant step towards safeguarding children's health by advocating for Front-of-Package Labeling (FOPL) on packaged food items. This groundbreaking agreement, signed on February 7, 2024, marks a pivotal moment in the fight against non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and malnutrition.

The Patna Declaration:

Prior to the 2024 general elections, a coalition of civil society organizations spearheaded a public dialogue in Patna, where they presented six key demands for FOPL regulation. These demands aim to provide consumers with clear warning labels on packaged foods, highlighting excessive sugar, salt, and fat content.

Representatives from various political parties, including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Indian National Congress, Janata Dal United, Communist Party of India, Rashtriya Lok Janata Party, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), Loktantrik Janata Dal, Bihar Women's Association, and Vajiv Adhikar Party, joined forces to endorse the Patna Declaration. By signing this declaration, they pledged to incorporate these demands into their respective party manifestos for the upcoming elections.

Key Highlights from the Public Dialogue:

The public dialogue, organized by a coalition of civil society organizations, emphasized the urgent need for FOPL to combat the rising prevalence of NCDs, malnutrition, and obesity. Dr. Lenin Raghuvanshi, founder of the Peoples’ Vigilance Committee on Human Rights (PVCHR), stressed the importance of implementing FOPL to safeguard the future health of children in India. The dialogue provided a platform for stakeholders to discuss the latest data from the National Family Health Survey-5 (NFHS-5) and advocate for regulatory changes.

Political Commitment to Children's Health:

Political leaders, including Mr. Jeetendra Nath from the Rashtriya Lok Janata Dal and Mr. Ram Babu from the Communist Party of India (CPI), reiterated their support for FOPL regulation. They emphasized the critical role of FOPL in protecting children's health and pledged to prioritize this issue in their party manifestos.

Following this, representatives of all political parties launched the Patna Declaration, endorsing the declaration by signing on to it. All representatives have pledged to include these demands in their respective party's upcoming election manifestos. Representatives present from various organizations included:

• Mr. Sanjay Paswan, Member of Legislative Council, and Mr. Chandresh Singh, State Secretary, Bharatiya Janata Party.
• State Secretary of the Communist Party of India (CPI) of Bihar, Mr. Ram Babu
• Rashtriya Lok Janata Dal's National Vice President, Mr. Jeetendra Nath
• Mr. Jahangir Khan, National Executive Committee Member, Janata Dal United.
•  Former MP, Mr. Ali Anwar.
•  Mr. Sanjay Paswan, State Secretary, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas).
•  Ms. Rinku Kumari, Bihar Women's Association.
•  Dr. Amit Kumar Paswan, Unorganized Worker and Employee unit of Congress Party (Bihar).
• Mr. Arun Kumar Singh, Jan Swaraj. 
• Representatives from Bihar Election Watch, NAPM, Farmers' Union, and Civil Society.

The Patna Declaration: Civil Society Recommendations:

In addition to endorsing FOPL, civil society organizations put forth recommendations for political parties to consider in their manifestos. These recommendations include implementing science-based FOPL regulations, identifying unhealthy processed foods, regulating negative nutrients, and providing incentives for healthier products.

Media Coverage:

The event received extensive media coverage, with over 40 print, online, Television, and YouTube outlets featuring the consultation. Notable publications such as Junputh News highlighted the significance of the Patna Declaration and the collective efforts to prioritize children's health.

Conclusion:

The Patna Declaration represents a significant milestone in the fight against NCDs and malnutrition in Bihar. By uniting political parties and civil society organizations, we are sending a clear message: protecting children's health is a top priority. As we move closer to the 2024 elections, we remain committed to advocating for FOPL regulations that will empower consumers and improve public health outcomes.

Blog Post Links:

Patna Declaration: Civil Society Recommendations for the Manifesto of Political Parties in the General Election 2024 Link

Front-of-Package Labeling: A Crucial Step Towards Protecting Children’s Health Link

Media Coverage:

Dr. Bahadur Singh Yadav, Former Chairperson of the State Technical Education Board, Government of Uttar Pradesh, India, has authored a compelling op-ed on Medium titled "Front-of-Package Labeling: A Crucial Step Towards Protecting Children’s Health." You can read the article by following this link: Front-of-Package Labeling: A Crucial Step Towards Protecting Children’s Health.

Junputh News: Link

Junputh Tweet: Link

Through collective action and advocacy, we can create a healthier future for generations to come.