31 August 2025, Amman, Jordan – Under the patronage of H.E. the Minister of Health Dr Ibrahim Al-Bdour, policy-makers, health experts and civil society leaders gathered in Amman to advance a national agenda that seek to strengthen food labelling and restrict the marketing of unhealthy foods, particularly those targeting children.

The High-Level Advocacy Meeting on Strengthening Food Labelling and Marketing, held at the Ministry’s Health Forum, underscores the urgent need for policies that promote healthier diets and tackle obesity and other diet-related noncommunicable diseases.

Front-of-pack food labelling and restrictions on unhealthy food marketing were highlighted as priority actions. Participants reviewed international practices, including the World Health Organization (WHO) nutrient profile model, and discussed how Jordan can adapt them into concrete, actionable policies.

Acknowledging the extent to which advertising shapes children’s preferences and eating habits, WHO Representative in Jordan Dr Iman Shankiti noted that “protecting children from the harmful impacts of unhealthy food marketing is not only a health issue, it is a child rights issue”.

The meeting offered a platform for sharing experiences from across the Eastern Mediterranean Region and beyond, highlighting both successes and challenges in food policy development. Stakeholders were invited to contribute recommendations to a national roadmap that will guide Jordan’s adoption of front-of-pack labelling and marketing restrictions.

Expected outcomes include stronger coordination across sectors, greater awareness of labelling and food classification systems and better knowledge-sharing on regulatory tools. The discussions also aimed to reinforce collaboration under Jordan’s National Nutrition Strategy and National Acceleration Plan to Stop Obesity.

The advocacy meeting opened a week of technical activities. On 26–27 August, a workshop on establishing a nutrient profile model for Jordan will lay out the scientific foundation for labelling policies. On 28 August, a second workshop will focus on turning the National Acceleration Plan into concrete steps that protect children from harmful food marketing.

With obesity rates rising, today’s dialogue sent a clear message – safeguarding the health of future generations depends on decisive action now.