WOMEC on World Food Safety Day 2026: “Safe Food Saves Lives. Safe Food Strengthens Communities”
Women, Media and Change (WOMEC) has urged Ghanaians and stakeholders across the food chain to treat food safety as a matter of health, dignity and national development as the world marks World Food Safety Day 2026 under the theme _“From Burden to Solutions – Safe Food Everywhere.”_
In a press statement signed by Executive Director Charity Binka, WOMEC said the theme is “both a challenge and a call to action.” While foodborne diseases continue to burden families, health systems and economies, the organisation stressed that Ghana already has the tools, knowledge and innovations needed to prevent them.
“Food is more than sustenance. It is a source of life, dignity, opportunity, and hope. Every meal should nourish, strengthen, and protect,” WOMEC stated. “Yet for millions, food meant to sustain life becomes a source of illness, suffering, and even death.”
*Mothers and Children Bear the Heaviest Burden*
WOMEC, which advocates for maternal and child nutrition, women’s empowerment and inclusive development, highlighted how unsafe food hits vulnerable groups hardest.
Children under five bear a disproportionate share of foodborne diseases, with consequences for growth, cognitive development and long-term health. For pregnant women, exposure to contaminated food threatens both their own health and the survival of their unborn children.
“Food safety is inseparable from maternal and child nutrition,” Charity Binka said. “Good nutrition can only achieve its intended impact when food is safe. A healthy pregnancy depends on food that is nutritious and free from harmful contaminants. A child’s growth during the first 1,000 days depends on safe, nutritious food.”
The statement noted that contaminated food contributes to infections, poor nutrient absorption, malnutrition and stunting – outcomes that undermine families and national productivity.
Women at the Centre of the Solution
WOMEC also spotlighted the role of women as primary caregivers, food preparers, vendors and key actors across food systems. “They play a critical role in ensuring food safety within households and communities. Yet they are also among those most affected when caring for sick family members or managing household food security challenges,” the organisation said.
This, it added, makes food safety a gender issue: “Promoting food safety is therefore also a matter of advancing gender-responsive public health and development outcomes.”
WOMEC’s Call to Action: “From Burden to Solutions”*
To turn the burden into solutions, WOMEC called on all actors to act:
1. Government & regulators: Strengthen awareness, invest in prevention, promote accountability, and enhance monitoring and enforcement of food safety standards from farm to table.
2. Health institutions & partners: Integrate food safety messaging into maternal and child health and nutrition programmes.
3. *Producers, processors, vendors*: Adhere strictly to safety standards and best practices.
4. Media: Increase public education and reporting on food safety issues.
5. Civil society: Continue advocating for stronger food systems and consumer protection.
6. Citizens: Adopt safe food handling, preparation and storage practices at home.
“As we mark World Food Safety Day 2026, let us recommit ourselves to building stronger food safety systems, protecting public health, advancing maternal and child nutrition, and ensuring that safe food becomes a reality for all,” WOMEC said.
It ended with a simple reminder: “Safe food saves lives. Safe food supports nutrition. Safe food strengthens communities and secures our future.”
World Food Safety Day is observed globally on June 7 each year to draw attention and inspire action to help prevent, detect and manage foodborne risks.
About WOMEC
Women, Media and Change is a Ghanaian advocacy organisation committed to maternal and child nutrition, women’s empowerment, gender equality and inclusive development through evidence-based engagement and media advocacy.
