Look In the Mirror

“Hunger is not an issue of charity. It is an issue of justice.” - Jacques Diouf. Those of us who are tasked with the welfare of others must behave in a manner that is worthy to be emulated. However, we do not live in a perfect world and many of those who are entrusted with leadership do so in a spiteful manner. We must however, be reminded that we will all have a day of reckoning and will have to give an account of our stewardship. The issue of child abuse is always distressing to speak about. Oftentimes, we hear of the horrendous cases of sexual abuse of children that rocks the core of the society. Any society that tolerates or makes excuses for the abuses of children remains in a rotten state of affairs. The withholding of food as a form of punishment is hardly spoken about. This form of child abuse is more prevalent than we think and happens behind closed doors as many parents and guardians use this form of reward system to achieve a desired behavioural change in children. Punishment should never be synonymous with food. That is wrong! Punishment is defined as imposing external controls by force on children to change their behaviour. It includes: imposing suffering, for example by withholding food. Many forms of punishment are against the law and undoubtedly this is one. Obviously, the need will arise when parents will be required to discipline their children, however, parents and guardians should not do so by withholding food. Withholding food as punishment for your child/children can make them feel anxious. The repetitive withholding of food for children may lead to anxiety. The MAYO Clinic states that people with anxiety disorders frequently have intense, excessive and persistent worry and fear about everyday situations. Often, anxiety disorders involve repeated episodes of sudden feelings of intense anxiety and fear or terror that reach a peak within minutes (panic attacks). Common anxiety signs and symptoms include: trouble concentrating or thinking about anything other than the present worry. Additionally, there is a feeling of restlessness. Your child may worry about not getting enough food or going hungry. United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Globally, hunger persists with nearly 1 in 10 of the world's population facing it in 2022, while 2.4 billion people experienced moderate to severe food insecurity. In the same year, nearly 60 per cent of countries worldwide saw significant increases in food prices due to conflicts and disrupted supply chains. Achieving zero hunger requires intensified efforts to transform food systems towards sustainability, resilience, and equity. Additionally, accelerating improvements in diets, nutrition, health, and hygiene are crucial to meeting the SDG target of halving the number of children suffering from chronic under nutrition. Latin America and the Caribbean . Proper nutrition is a fundamental element in the realization of children’s right to enjoy the highest attainable level of physical and mental health. Our body needs a variety of nutrients, and in certain amounts, to maintain its tissues and its many functions. Malnutrition happens when the nutrients one’s body receives do not meet these needs. A person can be malnourished from an overall lack of nutrients, or the individual may have an abundance of some kinds of nutrients but lack other kinds. Even the lack of a single vitamin or mineral can have serious health consequences for your body. The World Health Organization (WHO), states that Malnutrition affects people in every country. Around 890 million adults worldwide are living with obesity, while 390 million are underweight. An estimated 37 million children under the age of 5 years are overweight, while some 149 million are stunted. United Nations Children's Fund, (UNICEF) states that poverty, urbanization, climate change and poor eating choices are driving unhealthy diets that are physically impacting almost 9 million children under five in Latin America and the Caribbean. In 2018, in Latin America and the Caribbean, 4.8 million children under 5 were stunted, 0.7 million wasted. A United Nations report has stated that 8.3 per cent of the Jamaican population experienced undernourishment for the period 2020 to 2022. At the same time, 25.6 per cent faced severe food insecurity, while 54.4 experienced moderate food insecurity. These trends reflect poor growth, and put children at risk of increased infections, weak learning skills, low immunity and, in many cases, death. Almost 4 in 10 children under five in the region suffered from deficiencies in vitamins and minerals such as iron and iodine, further undermining their growth. Of the 18 countries in the region with data, Guatemala is the worst off with 1 in 2 children under 5 not growing well. Saint Lucia has the lowest percentage, with 1 in 10 children. UNICEF’s analysis finds that almost 2 in 5 children between six months and 2 years in Latin America and the Caribbean are not fed the adequate food that supports their rapidly growing bodies and brains. In 2018, 1 in 5 children of this age was not fed any fruits or vegetables at all. In addition, nearly 3 in 10 children don’t eat any eggs, dairy, fish or meat, which are important, sources of protein and micronutrients and essential for growth. The Way Forward. Withholding food does not teach children why their behaviour was unacceptable or how to improve. Hunger can negatively impact a child’s focus, mood and overall well-being making it more challenging for them to learn and behave positively. Withholding food as a punishment is not an effective or compassionate way to manage a child’s behaviour. Instead, the emphasis should be on positive, restorative and collaborative approaches that promote social emotional learning empathy and self-awareness. In the words of Jimmy Carter, the measure of a society is found in how they treat their weakest and most helpless citizens. Wayne Campbell is an educator and social commentator with an interest in development policies as they affect culture and or gender issues. waykam@yahoo.com @WayneCamo ©