NHRC Case: Protecting Youth, Women, and Children from the Hidden Dangers of Packaged Food

Case No: 4227/90/0/2021 Diary No: 15413/IN/2021 Complainants: Shruti Nagvanshi & Shirin Shabana Khan (Varanasi, UP) Victims: Youth, Women, and Children across India Background On 14 September 2021 , human rights defenders Shruti Nagvanshi and Shirin Shabana Khan filed a complaint with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) highlighting a critical but often overlooked public health issue: the alarming rise of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) in India, largely driven by packaged food high in salt, sugar, and fat . The complainants urged NHRC to intervene for the implementation of a Nutrient Profile Model (NPM) and Front-of-Pack Labeling (FOPL) regulations to empower consumers with transparent information and push the food industry towards healthier practices. Why It Matters NCDs like obesity, diabetes, and hypertension are now the leading cause of death and disability in India. Children and young people are increasingly exposed to unhealthy processed foods,...