News / Mothers Manifesto
Mothers go on hunger strike to urge action against food insecurity
Mothers and caregivers were joined in by allies as they started a hunger strike while calling for unified action against child hunger, a day before International Mother’s Day.
Gathered on College Green on Saturday morning, a group of mothers led by Mothers Manifesto will refuse to eat and urge government action through what they call a “powerful” act of protest. Those who can will continue the hunger strike for five days, by continuing the protest outside the parliament.
Jo Hook, an active member of the Mothers Manifesto and director of Temwa, an NGO based in Malawi was appalled at the situation of food insecurity in the UK and globally.
Speaking to Bristol24/7 she said: “The situation locally and globally is getting worse. We live in the sixth wealthiest nation in the world – the UK is the sixth largest economy – yet we have one of the highest food insecurities in Europe.
Four-month-old Aoife was the youngest protester who joined her paediatrician mother at College Green – photo: Karen Johnson
Hook continued: “We have growing global inequality which is going backwards because from 2000 to 2015, the Millennium Development Goals were widely successful and globally we reduced extreme poverty by half in just 15 years.
“We were making progress. We were moving in the right direction and now that we’re going backwards is criminal.
Hook had previously joined the founder of Mothers Manifesto, Emma Hopkins and several others for a six-day hunger strike outside the parliament in September 2024.
Their demands remain the same: free school meals for all children, the implementation of universal credit which guarantees life’s essentials and a loop-hole free windfall tax on fossil fuel companies’ excessive profits.
Their protest and second strike on Saturday was an amplification of their September strikes calling mothers and caregivers to par take in a 24 hour long hunger strike, that could also be extended to five days if deemed possible.
Mothers Manifesto urged immediate action against hunger and malnutrition that is responsible for 45% of child mortality – photo: Rob Browne
Hopkins strongly opposed the need for mothers and families to make “impossible choices”. She added: “In cities across the UK, we see mothers and fathers skipping meals to
feed their children, cutting back on essentials and still coming up short.
“We cannot stand by while families suffer. We are calling on the government to act now and to address the structural inequality driving food poverty.
“We need people across the UK to rise up and demand the changes that will make a real difference for families. This isn’t just about food – this is about justice for every mother and every child who deserves the security and support they need to thrive.”
Hook added that Bristol has always been a “city of protest”: “You look at the things that have happened – Colston’s statue came down and statues around the world came down.
“You look at what’s happened with the suffragettes, the civil rights movement and all of these incredible people who protest and change can happen.
Main photo: Rob Browne
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