Children eating at a table outside with food.

Partner Efforts

A girl at a table, smiling while holding a spoon

What

What is the role of partners in the Coalition?

While countries’ commitments are at the heart of the Coalition’s work and essential to achieving its objectives, the role of partners from all sectors is critical to their achievement through advocacy and implementation support. Through its Partner Group and the work of its various initiatives, the Coalition provides a network of partners and experts working on various aspects of school meal programmes and related health and nutrition services in schools.  

Two kids eating school meals.

How

How can partners support the work of the Coalition?

Partners can get involved through signing the Coalition’s Declaration of Support, signaling support for the Coalition’s objectives and their willingness to support government commitments to the Coalition.

Partners can also actively participate in the Partner Group, a forum for exchange of challenges and best practices and discussion on how partners can support advocacy and communication activities of the Coalition – and engage directly in these activities to amplify Coalition priorities and milestones. The Coalition encourages partners to work both with the Coalition and directly with each other, bringing Coalition messaging and evidence into their ongoing events and activities. Finally, partners contribute to the activities of the various initiatives of the Coalition. 

A table with food on it

Why

Why is multi-stakeholder collaboration important to the work of the Coalition?

Working together matters because addressing the issue of school meals requires collaboration across multiple sectors, including education, nutrition, health, agriculture and food systems, climate, livelihoods, gender and social protection and with different types of actors. This presents both strengths and challenges, including the benefits and difficulties of coordination, since no single sector fully owns this agenda.  

The Coalition model exemplifies a true multisectoral approach, aiming to address challenges and create solutions that overcome barriers that have kept school meal programmes from achieving their full potential.  

Partners support governments of all levels in their efforts to ensure that all children have access to healthy meals in school by 2030. They can assist governments through technical support to research, advocacy and communications, as well as by supporting the implementation of programmes directly.  

Read the Civil Society Organization Call to Action