The Center for Food and Adequate Living Rights (CEFROHT) filed a human rights public interest case in the High Court of Uganda against Attorney General and the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) for Government’s failure and omission to regulate nutrition labelling and restrict marketing, broadcast and advertisement of food high in salt, sugar and fats to children.  in Uganda.

The case is based on government’s failure to respect its legal mandate to uphold, protect and fulfill the rights to food and health of all Ugandans, children inclusive. Government’s failure in its legal mandate is one of the contributing factors to the increase in the prevalence of non – communicable diseases (NCDs) contributing 35% of the total annual deaths.

The case is intended to compel the Government of Uganda and the Uganda Communications Commission to ban the marketing, broadcast and advertisement of food high in sugar, salt and fat to   children in Uganda, amend the advertising standard of Uganda.

CEFROHT argues that the Government’s failure and omission to restrict marketing, broadcast and advertisement of food high in sugar, salt and fat to children in Uganda threatens and is a violation of their rights to adequate food, health and safety as guaranteed in the constitution and the Children’s Act. That the advertising standards are a threat and in violation of children’s rights to safety, health and adequate food contrary to the provisions of the law. That government’s failure to regulate nutrition labelling threatens and is a violation of the right to health, safety and adequate food in Uganda.

The case is at judgement stage. We hope that the ruling is delivered soon as this is a matter of public interest which greatly affects the right to food and health of children and all Ugandans at large.