This annual awareness week highlights the realities of poverty and this year focuses on how we can emerge from the pandemic situation and rebuild our economy to tackle poverty and inequality and ensure a better future for everyone.

Poverty is the biggest driver of poor health in our society, and so is central to our work here at the GCPH.

We are pleased to be involved with Challenge Poverty Week for another year to turn the spotlight on the wide-ranging consequences of poverty and to highlight some important work to alleviate its effects and improve health and wellbeing.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on poverty, inequalities and health

Our blogs look at different aspects of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, including food insecurity, policies to alleviate poverty and community resilience.

Food in uncertain times

Riikka Gonzalez looks at how COVID-19 has affected and exacerbated food poverty in the city and how the community food sector has responded to the challenge.

Policies to reduce health inequalities: where were we in Scotland pre-pandemic?

David Walsh discusses new research looking into what has happened in Scotland since 2016 with regards to inequalities-related policies and the pre-pandemic situation.

What is community resilience?

Pete Seaman discusses resilience in communities in relation to the challenges of public health and the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Glasgow City Food Plan

Nutritious food is fundamental to our physical and mental health and is a human right. Levels of dietary ill health, such as obesity and diabetes, are high in Glasgow and too many people struggle to afford adequate amounts of healthy food.

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of resilient food systems and made people more aware of the links between food, health, poverty and consumption, supply chains and purchasing patterns.

A multisector project group has been working for the last year with over 80 partners to develop a draft plan aiming to make the food system in Glasgow more sustainable, equitable and healthy. The Glasgow City Food Plan is now out for public consultation.

The Glasgow City Food Plan consultation includes an online survey and a range of engagement events. Feedback on the proposals is invited from communities, citizens, businesses and stakeholders across the city.  It is important that the final version reflects the needs and priorities of the people of Glasgow and enables everyone to be part of a more just, sustainable, healthy food system.

Find out more about the Glasgow City Food Plan and you can follow #GlasgowCityFoodPlan on Twitter and check out the Glasgow Food Policy Partnership website for updates.

Cost of the pregnancy pathway

High costs of living such as transport and childcare impact on opportunities to support women and create a lasting effect on a child’s health and wellbeing. It’s not right that some women in Scotland struggle to attend antenatal appointments.

Health professionals can help pregnant women and families with children by asking about money worries as part of their routine care.

This recent report explores the financial impacts of pregnancy for expectant and new families on low-incomes in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and NHS Ayrshire & Arran.

Children’s report card on income inequality and poverty

Adequate household income is critical to a child’s physical, social and emotional wellbeing. It allows parents/carers to invest in a range of goods, services and experiences which support a child’s cognitive development and ability to learn. Conversely, inadequate household income, in addition to limiting what adults in a household can spend on basic necessities and learning experiences for a child, also threatens the mental wellbeing of the family, the quality of the parent-child relationship and therefore the emotional and behavioural development of children.

The children’s report cards on our Understanding Glasgow website present public health information on children and young people’s health and wellbeing in the Glasgow City Region (GCR) across a range of topics and indicators.

Data presented in the income inequality and poverty report card describe patterns and trends in a range of indicators that tell us about the levels of child poverty and inequality.