RECAP Prom. healthy diet & physical act.
Switzerland plays a critical role in moving the agenda for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and fighting all forms of malnutrition forward in low- and middle-income countries and at global level. NCDs constitute a major global health challenge with critical economic consequences. Unhealthy diets and physical inactivity are the main causes of obesity and NCDs. Switzerland aims at strengthening individual and institutional capacity and enabling environments for legal and regulatory measures to promote healthy diets and physical activity.
Country/region | Topic | Period | Budget |
---|---|---|---|
Global |
Health
Health systems strengthening
Health education |
01.07.2022
- 31.12.2025 |
CHF 8’300’000
|
- Other UN Organisation
- Swiss Private Sector
- International Development Law Organization (IDLO)
-
Sector according to the OECD Developement Assistance Commitiee categorisation HEALTH
HEALTH
Sub-Sector according to the OECD Developement Assistance Commitiee categorisation Health policy and administrative management
Health education
Aid Type Project and programme contribution
Technical assistance inclusive experts
Project number 7F09879
Background | NCDs kill 41 million people each year and related economic consequences are staggering. Unhealthy diets and physical inactivity is the number one risk factor for overweight, obesity and consequently NCDs. Particularly in low- and middle-income countries, obesity and overweight are increasing among poor populations and children/adolescents. Implementation of regulatory and fiscal measures (like sugar taxes) to reduce risk factors for unhealthy diets and physical inactivity has so far been slow and insufficient, due to the lack of legislative and regulatory expertise and capacity at national level. Swiss expertise in the field of public health and law, as well as physical activity, will continue to strengthen capacities and sustain the progress made so far. |
Objectives | Poor and vulnerable people benefit from healthy diets and physical activity through strengthened national regulatory and fiscal capacities and environments. |
Target groups |
Direct beneficiaries are government officials and representatives from civil society organizations and academic/research institutions on global level, as well as from Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka and 2-3 additional countries. Ultimate beneficiaries are individuals and their households, communities and societies in programme countries which have poor diets and inadequate physical activity. As risk factors and NCDs prevalence are usually higher amongst the poor and disadvantaged, the proposed reforms are expected to benefit these groups. |
Medium-term outcomes |
1. Strengthened regulatory and fiscal capacity of government officials, regulators, policymakers and civil society, to support the development, adoption, implementation, and monitoring of cost-effective regulatory and fiscal policy interventions to promote healthy diets and physical activity. 2. Strengthened enabling environment to support the development, adoption, implementation and monitoring of cost-effective regulatory and fiscal measures, to promote healthy diets and physical activity through social mobilization and multi-stakeholder collaboration. 3. Increased generation, use and dissemination of relevant evidence and research from different disciplines, to develop and implement effective regulatory and fiscal measures to promote healthy diets and physical activity. |
Results |
Results from previous phases: Strengthened regulatory and fiscal capacity · Needs assessments on national legal and policy frameworks to promote healthy diets and physical activity were conducted in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and findings used in trainings, policy briefs, advocacy, and teaching materials. · Progress occurred in four policy domains: a) Marketing Restrictions (Kenya, Tanzania Uganda, Sri Lanka; b) Nutrition Labelling (Kenya, Tanzania Uganda, Sri Lanka; c) Physical Activity (Tanzania, Uganda, Sri Lanka; d) Fiscal Policy (Bangladesh, Kenya, Uganda). Strengthened enabling environments · Multi-sectoral platforms were established in all participating countries. · Two multidisciplinary Academic Working Groups were established in East Africa and Bangladesh. · Two textbooks on Law and NCDs were developed, with a focus on healthy diets and physical activity. Strengthened evidence-base Human Rights and Healthy Diets Research Support Initiative launched, to identify lessons across the Programme on the application of Human Rights-Based Approaches to promote the adoption of regulatory measures on healthy diets. |
Directorate/federal office responsible |
SDC |
Project partners |
Contract partner Private sector United Nations Organization (UNO) |
Coordination with other projects and actors | Contribution to the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) – Making Markets work for Nutrition/ Food System Programme, contribution to the SUN Movement, Nutrition in City Ecosystems (NICE), Human Rights in Food Systems (GPFS), Access NCDs strategic partnership with WHO and University of Geneva/Geneva Hospitals. |
Budget | Current phase Swiss budget CHF 8’300’000 Swiss disbursement to date CHF 1’350’000 |
Project phases | Phase 2 01.07.2022 - 31.12.2025 (Current phase) Phase 1 17.09.2017 - 30.06.2022 (Completed) |