Food

The right to food for people living in conflict zones - where food supplies are often most vulnerable and uncertain - is well established in international law and practice. CESR looked at violations of the right to food in Afghanistan following the U.S.-led attacks on that country. CESR has also looked at violations of the right to food in Palestine.

The Right to Food: The Case of Afghanistan
This November 2001 report lays out the numerous violations to the right to food in Afghanistan. Although food had long been a problem in Afghanistan, the U.S.-led war against the country exacerbated and worsened the food situation drastically.

Submission to Mr. Jean Ziegler, Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food
CESR submitted an extensive letter to Mr. Ziegler detailing the legal basis for the right to food and the effects of the U.S.-led war on the right to food in Afghanistan.

Related materials:

• Overview of the CESR Human Rights Assessment Mission to Afghanistan

Adopted on 16 November 1974 by the World Food Conference convened under General
Assembly resolution 3180 (XXVIII) of 17 December 1973; and endorsed by General
Assembly resolution 3348 (XXIX) of 17 December 1974

click here for the UDHR in other languages

Preamble

Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world,

Whereas disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind, and the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people,

Whereas it is essential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human rights should be protected by the rule of law,

Whereas it is essential to promote the development of friendly relations between nations,

Whereas the peoples of the United Nations have in the Charter reaffirmed their faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal rights of men and women and have determined to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom,

Whereas Member States have pledged themselves to achieve, in cooperation with the United Nations, the promotion of universal respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms,

Whereas a common understanding of these rights and freedoms is of the greatest importance for the full realization of this pledge,

Now, therefore,

The General Assembly,

Proclaims this Universal Declaration of Human Rights as a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations, to the end that every individual and every organ of society, keeping this Declaration constantly in mind, shall strive by teaching and education to promote respect for these rights and freedoms and by progressive measures, national and international, to secure their universal and effective recognition and observance, both among the peoples of Member States themselves and among the peoples of territories under their jurisdiction.

THE RIGHT TO ADEQUATE FOOD (ARTICLE 11)

SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES ARISING IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL
COVENANT ON ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS

COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS

Bread for the World
Bread for the World is a U.S.-based Christian citizens??? movement seeking justice for the world???s hungry people by lobbying U.S. decision makers.

Canadian Food Grains Bank
A Christian-based food aid and development organization that collects donations of grain, cash and other agricultural commodities for distribution to the world???s hungry.

Canadian Hunger Foundation
CHF is a non-profit organization dedicated to enabling poor rural communities in developing countries to attain sustainable livelihoods.

Food First
Food First is a member-supported, nonprofit think tank and education-for-action center. Its work highlights root causes and value-based solutions to hunger and poverty around the world, with a commitment to establishing food as a fundamental human right.

FIAN International
FIAN informs victims about their right to feed themselves and alerts the general public about violations of this right. FIAN also provides training on the right to adequate food in international law.

The Hunger Site
Click to give food.

Hungerweb
HungerWeb is for researchers, educators, policy influencers, operations personnel, other professionals and students using the Internet to help find solutions to hunger at the global, national, community and household level???or for anyone who is interested in learning more about the subject.

Intergovernmental Working Group
The IGWG holds negotiations each year on the "Voluntary Guidelines to Support the Progressive Realization of the Right to Adequate Food."

Outcome of the World Food Summit
Including action to be taken to follow up the outcome at all appropriate levels, May 1997

Primal Seeds
Primal Seeds is a network that works to actively engage in protecting biodiversity and creating local food security.

Updated Study on the Right to Food Submitted to the Sub-Commission on Human Rights
June 28, 1999 Report submitted by Mr. Asbj??rn Eide: The Realization of Economic and Social Rights: The right to adequate food and to be free from hunger

United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, Mr. Jean Ziegler

• Right to Food, the Special Rapporteur's Website

LEGAL OBLIGATIONS

Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Article 25: ???Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food...???

Kabul, Afghanistan - I am a member of the loya jirga's silent majority -- or rather, silenced majority -- who came here to Afghanistan's capital expecting to shape our nation's future but instead find ourselves being dragged back into the past.

Human Rights Conditions

Over twenty years of successive armed conflicts and massive human rights violations have killed at least 1.5 million Afghans and rendered 6 million homeless. Even prior to 11 September and 7 October, the Afghan population suffered severe destitution and hardship: a ruined infrastructure, abysmal socio-economic indicators, the world???s largest population of refugees and internally displaced persons, the world???s highest concentration of land mines, three years of worsening drought, a repressive government and international isolation marked by economic sanctions.

To the Editor:

Congratulations on your comprehensive and moving account of the food crisis in Afghanistan ("Now the Battle to Feed the Afghan Nation"). But the article overlooks the dangers of militarizing the humanitarian effort.

Letter to the Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights