Ready to learn and thrive: Asia-Pacific launch of new global school health and nutrition report

UNESCO, UNICEF and WFP are pleased to announce that they have published the joint global report Ready to learn and thrive: school health and nutrition around the world, in collaboration with FAO, GPE, and WHO, with support from the Research Consortium for school health and nutrition, the UN-Nutrition Secretariat and the World Bank.

Following the global launch event of 8 February 2023, the Asia-Pacific Thematic Working Group on School Health, Nutrition and Wellbeing – co-chaired by the UNESCO Multisectoral Regional Office in Bangkok, UNICEF Regional Office for South Asia (ROSA), and WHO South-East Asia Regional Office (SEARO) – will organize an Asia-Pacific webinar launch of the global report, ‘Ready to learn and thrive’, on 20 June 2023, 13.00–14.45 Bangkok time (GMT+7).

Good health and nutrition is a prerequisite for children to learn and grow, and a crucial investment for more sustainable, inclusive development and peaceful futures. School health and nutrition (SHN) programming is about investing in schoolchildren and adolescents’ health, nutrition, well-being, and learning, with benefits extending to their homes and communities. Healthy, well-nourished and educated children and young people can achieve their full potential, and support sustainable social and economic growth of countries.

The joint report, ‘Ready to learn and thrive’, has generated and disseminated better evidence to inform programmatic decision-making and advocacy for high-quality programmes. This ground-breaking publication brings together multiple data sources and case studies from around the world to provide a global overview of school health and nutrition policies and programmes, finally demonstrating that these policies and programmes make for practical, affordable and effective ways to support learners’ well-being and development. The report encourages efforts to improve, scale up, sustain and monitor progress of these programmes to address learners’ needs holistically, so that all children and adolescents can learn and thrive.

The objectives of the Asia-Pacific launch event are to:

1. Showcase and disseminate the findings of the joint report, highlighting evidence gathered and especially the findings from the Asia-Pacific region, and promote awareness and discussion on the report’s key messages and recommendations;
2. Raise awareness of the importance of school health and nutrition as key determinants of both learning and well-being outcomes, and constituting an integral component of quality, inclusive education (SDG 4); and
3. Highlight country examples of school health and nutrition programmes currently being implemented by governments, schools, and young people in the region, and reflect on these experiences in the context of the research findings.

The virtual launch event is open to the public and will invite direct participation by diverse stakeholders involved in school health and nutrition programmes and health-promoting schools in Asia-Pacific, including:

• Ministries of education, health, and related others
• Youth-led or youth-serving networks and related civil society organizations 
• Researchers, teachers, parents, school principals
• Individual SHN and well-being experts and advocates
• Organizations working on SHN and learner well-being

20 June 2023, 13.00–14.45 Bangkok time (GMT+7).

The webinar will be available in English.

Zoom webinar

Please click here to register.

After registering, participants will receive a confirmation email. 

Education for Health and Well-being Team 
email: ehwb.bgk@unesco.org

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