In December 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched a draft guideline on fiscal policies to promote healthy diets. This guideline supports Member States in creating food environments for healthy diets and improved nutrition to reduce diet-related noncommunicable diseases (NCDs).

The deadline for civil society to submit comments to this draft guideline was 3 February 2023.

IDF with 16 organisations working in the NCD space (NCD Alliance, The George Institute for Global Health, World Cancer Research Fund International, World Obesity Federation, Africa NCDs Network, Cameroon Civil Society NCD Alliance, Cancer Research UK, Ghana NCD Alliance, Healthy Caribbean Coalition, Healthy India Alliance, HRIDAY, International Association for Dental Research, Norwegian Cancer Society, Reconciliation and Development Association, Resolve to Save Lives and Walé Action Santé Population) submitted a joint response:

• Welcoming the recognition that Member States may benefit from further guidance to establish or strengthen fiscal policies as part of a broader package of policies to promote healthy diets;
• Requesting clearer and stronger policy recommendations on fiscal policies beyond taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages;
• Recommending definitions for the terms “healthy diet”, “sugar-sweetened beverages”, “non-alcoholic beverages” and “subsidy”.

You can read the joint submission here.