IPS Hosts the SHAPE Asia Regional Coalition in Sri Lanka

14-16 January 2026

“Food environments are evolving rapidly. Commercialisation, the increased availability of unhealthy diets, and the growing influence of social media, emphasise the need for joint efforts,” expressed Dr Nisha Arunatilake, Director of Research at the Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka (IPS) and SHAPE Asia country lead, during her address at the second SHAPE Asia Country Meeting and Project Workshop held in Colombo from 14–16 January 2026.

SHAPE Asia is a regional initiative that supports research, advocacy, and policy action to promote healthier food environments across Asia. By drawing on regional experiences, the initiative generates valuable insights that strengthen country-level policy responses. The Country Meeting and Project Workshop brought together project partners from Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Sri Lanka to foster regional collaboration, shared learning, and strategic alignment. As the funding agency for the initiative, the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) of Canada was also represented at the meeting.

As part of the meeting, the coalition held a policy discussion titled “Rising Together for Healthier Food Environments in Asia: Regional Lessons and Policy Action,” with the participation of Sri Lankan stakeholders, including policymakers, academics, civil society organisations, and youth representatives. The policy discussion facilitated regional knowledge exchange on effective approaches to improving food environments, with a particular focus on regulating the marketing and retail of unhealthy foods.

The workshop culminated with the “Rise with SHAPE Asia” campaign launch which marks a regional advocacy effort to mobilise collective action, amplify diverse voices, and accelerate policy reforms on responsible food marketing across Asia.

IPS collaborates with Reconstra Utama Integra Research (Indonesia), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (Malaysia), Mahidol University (Thailand), and National Sun Yat-sen University (Taiwan), as partner organisations in the SHAPE Asia initiative.