President Milanović Extends Support to “The Right of Every Child to a School Meal” Initiative

The President of the Republic Zoran Milanović received today representatives of the initiative “The Right of Every Child to a School Meal” [“Pravo svakog djeteta na školski obrok”], Professors Olja Družić Ljubotina and Marijana Kletečki Radović of the Faculty of Law Social Work Study Centre, University of Zagreb.

The initiative was launched by the two professors, who were joined by their colleagues Professors Ivana Dobrotić and Antonija Petričušić whose area of expertise is in children’s and parental rights, poverty and social inequality issues and stigmatization, to which children in vulnerable groups in Croatia are often exposed. Their research has shown that there are significant regional differences in the financing and availability of school meals in Croatia. Hence, they acquainted President Milanović with their “The Right of Every Child to a School Meal” initiative.

Representatives of the initiative believe that if the state has recognized the importance of providing free textbooks to all primary school pupils, regardless of the financial status of their families, then it is equally important to ensure that primary school pupils have access to school meals – a universal right. If primary school is compulsory, free and accessible to all children, they argued, then school meals should also be guaranteed in primary school – free, accessible to all children and nutritionally balanced. The representatives’ main message was that it is necessary to address the issue of nutrition in schools systematically, in order to ensure that all children gain access to this right under equal criteria.

President Milanović extended his support to the initiative as it would ensure the right of primary school pupils to receive a school meal, thus making it available to every child regardless of their family’s financial status, regional differences or financial capacities of the local self-government.  

PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Krešimir Naglić