March 4, 2025
On World Obesity Day under the theme "Changing Systems, Healthier Lives,", the Global Health Advocacy Incubator is celebrating its partners and advocates from around the world fighting for real solutions. From taking on health-harming industries to building broad based coalitions, these changemakers are reshaping the future of health. When we fix the systems, we create healthier lives—for everyone.
Gideon Ogutu
In Kenya, Gideon Ogutu is tackling one of the biggest drivers of diet-related diseases: the surge in consumption of ultra-processed foods. As Programme Officer for Health Governance at the International Institute for Legislative Affairs, he fights for policies that put public health over corporate interests. His advocacy includes mandatory front-of-pack warning labels and restrictions on marketing unhealthy foods to children.
Gideon is shifting the focus from individuals to the reform of systems that limit and manipulate individual choices, championing stronger, evidence-based regulations on trans fats, sweetened beverages (SB) and ultra-processed foods. Through engagement with policymakers, civil society, public health experts and the media, he is pushing for action by advocating for evidence-based policies, conducting stakeholder capacity-building initiatives and demanding increased government accountability in their implementation. Over the next five years, he envisions a future where prevention-focused policies — including strict regulations on harmful food products, support for local food production and integrated nutrition education — make healthy choices the easiest choice for all.
Francine Charles
In Barbados, where sugary drink consumption is three times the global average among youth and one in five adults has diabetes, Francine Charles is leading the fight for change. As Programme Manager for the Childhood Obesity Prevention Programme at the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Barbados, she advocates for World Health Organization (WHO)backed policies that make healthier foods and drinks more accessible—especially for children.
Francine is pushing to strengthen Barbados’ School Nutrition Policy, ensuring its consistent implementation and effective monitoring. Beyond schools, she champions national food and trade policies that make nutritious options more affordable and protect children from harmful marketing. She stresses that education alone isn’t enough—systemic change is essential to shaping environments where healthy choices are the easiest and most affordable.
Her vision? A school environment where healthy foods and drinks are the norm and accessible to all children—regardless of income—supported by initiatives like school gardening and physical activity that make healthy living a way of life. As Francine puts it, these are the keys to breaking unhealthy cycles and securing a healthier future. Making this a reality starts with a strong coalition of advocates, policymakers and civil society working together to transform Barbados’s food landscape for generations to come.
Diana Guarnizo
In Colombia, Diana Guarnizo, Director of Economic Justice at Dejusticia, is using legal advocacy to challenge the food industry’s role in driving excessive consumption of ultra-processed foods and beverages.
Diana works to counter industry tactics that block public health policies, promoting the creation of healthier food environments through measures like taxes on ultra-processed foods, front-of-package warning labels and advertising restrictions. She compiles legal research to expose industry tactics that undermine public health measures, ensuring strong regulations can be enacted and upheld. By debunking misleading claims—especially around front-of-package labeling and economic law—she counters corporate interference and strengthens the case for evidence-based policies.
Diana hopes Latin America’s success in defending food policies will inspire global action. Over the next five years, she aims to raise awareness about how corporate influence threatens both public health and democracy itself. By strengthening legal frameworks and mobilizing civil society, Diana is fighting for a world where nutritious food is accessible to all—especially the most vulnerable.
Orisanri Sidabutar
In Indonesia, Orisanri Sidabutar is taking a stand against ultra-processed foods and sugary beverages, two of the biggest contributors to diet-related diseases in the region. As Senior Communications Officer at CISDI, she is raising public awareness about the dangers of excessive sugar, salt and trans-fat consumption while advocating for policy measures like front-of-pack warning labels and an SB tax.
Orisanri works to shift the conversation from personal responsibility to systemic change, highlighting how government regulations, social environments and industry marketing tactics shape people’s eating habits. Through engaging content like comics and animations displayed in public spaces, she ensures that public health research is accessible and digestible. Her efforts have gained momentum, with over 20,000 signatures supporting the SB tax and schools beginning projects to reduce sugar consumption.
In the next five years, Orisanri envisions a significant reduction in ultra-processed food and beverage consumption as people become more aware, empowered and supported by stronger policies. By continuing to push for regulatory measures, build collaborations between public health advocates and policymakers and empower communities through nutrition education, she is working toward a healthier Indonesia.
These advocates remind us that real change starts with fixing the systems that shape our health. Their work is paving the way for a future where everyone has the opportunity to live a healthier life.
