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MORE ABOUT
HUNGER NOTES

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Food and Nutrition Rights Within
the UN Human Rights Framework

Ellen Messer

For fifty years the legal and political concept of human rights has been evolving as a set of universal norms for the international community and its component states. Paragraph 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) declares: "...everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and his family, including food..." Article 11 of the Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (1966) adds: "...State parties to the present Covenant recognize the fundamental right of everyone to be free from hunger..." and "...to take steps to the maximum of...available resources, with a view to achieving progressively the full realization of the rights recognized." Approximately 200 additional UN instruments address the right to adequate food and nutrition within civil-political, economic-social-cultural, development, and indigenous rights constructions.

Although food-and-nutrition is considered predominantly an economic right, which is linked to rights to land, work (just wages), health, a clean environment, and a just economic order, a decent standard of living depends also on personal security, fulfillment of civil-political rights, freedom from violence, and "freedom from fear". Country case studies especially in Latin America and Africa demonstrate that those denied civil liberties suffer disproportionately from social injustices, including hunger-related diseases and mortality. The significance of freedom of speech, free press, and freedom of assembly for the protection of economic rights, including the right not to starve, is illustrated elsewhere, such as in India. The human right to food also is considered indispensable for human development within states and indigenous groups, and part of these rights structures. "Food-and-nutrition" is linked to other human rights, including the rights of children, women, minorities, and other cultural communities, through additional human rights instruments. Protection against starvation are also dimensions of the Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols, which regulate conduct in wartime.

The Table below summarizes the 1998 status of signatories on the major relevant covenants and conventions. Almost all countries sign the Universal Declaration on Human Rights as a "rite of passage" for entry into the UN community. Apart are the binding legal obligations of signing the Covenants, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and other international legal treaties. The countries obligating themselves to achieve the human right to food by signing the Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights had increased to 141 by 1998, up from 85 in 1989. The increase is due in large part to the numbers of newly independent states signing the Covenant following the breakup of the USSR. The Convention of the Rights of the Child, with 189 signatories, is the most widely adopted, and probably also the most effectively implemented and monitored.

Cov Econ/Soc/Cult Rts

Cov Civ/Pol Rts

Elim Racial Discrim

Crime of Genocide

Rts of Child

Discrim Agnst Women

Geneva Convention III

Geneva Convention IV

Geneva Protocol I

Geneva Protocol II

States

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

Afghanistan

X

X

X

X

X

S

X

X

X

X

Albania

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Algeria

X

X

X

X

X

X*

X

X

X

X

Angola

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Antigua & Barbuda

    

T

T

T

T

T

T

T

T

Argentina

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Armenia

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Australia

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Austria

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Azerbaijan

X

X

X*

X*

X

X*

Bahamas

    

T

T

T

T

T

T

T

T

Bahrain

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Bangladesh

    

X

  

X

X

X

X

X

X

Barbados

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Belarus

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Belgium

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Belize

  

X*

  

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Benin

X

X

S

X

X

X

X

X

X

Bhutan

    

S

  

X

X

X

X

    

Bolivia

X

X

X

S

X

S

X

X

X

X

Bosnia-Herzegovina

T

T

T

T

T

T

T

T

T

T

Botswana

X

X*

X*

X

X

X

X

Brazil

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Brunei Darussalam

X*

X

X

X

X

Bulgaria

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Burkina Faso

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Burma (see Myanmar)

                    

Burundi

X

X

X

X*

X

X

X

X

X

X

Cambodia

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X*

X*

Cameroon

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Canada

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Cape Verde

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X*

X*

Central African Rep.

X

X

X

  

X

X*

X

X

X

X

Chad

X*

X*

X

X

X*

X

X

X*

X*

Chile

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

China

S*

X*

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Colombia

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X*

X*

States (continued)

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

Comoros

        

X

X

X

X

X

X

Congo (Democratic Rep.)

T

T

T

T

T

T

T

T

T

Cook Islands

        

X*

          

Costa Rica

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Cote d'Ivoire

X

X

X

X*

X

X*

X

X

X

X

Croatia

T

T

T

T

T

T

T

T

Cuba

    

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

  

Cyprus

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X*

X*

Czech Republic

T

T

T

T

T

T

T

T

T

T

Denmark

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Djibouti

        

X

  

X

X

X

X

Dominica

X

X

X

X

X

X

X*

X*

Dominican Republic

X

X

X

S

X

X

X

X

X

X

Ecuador

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Egypt

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

El Salvador

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Equatorial Guinea

X

X

    

X

X

X

X

X

X

Eritrea

X

X*

Estonia

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Ethiopia

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Fiji

    

X

X

X

X*

X

X

    

Finland

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

France

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

  

X

Gabon

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Gambia

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Georgia

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Germany

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Ghana

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Greece

X

X*

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Grenada

X

X

S

X

X

X

X

X

Guatemala

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Guinea

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Guinea-Bissau

X

      

X

X

X

X

X

X

Guyana

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Haiti

  

X

X

X

X*

X

X

X

    

Holy See

X

X

X

X

X

X

Honduras

X

X*

  

X

X

X

X

X

X*

X*

Hungary

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Iceland

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

India

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

    

Indonesia

        

X

X

X

X

    

Iran (Islamic Rep.)

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

    

Iraq

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

    

Ireland

X

X*

S

X

X

X

X

X

  

Israel

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

    

Italy

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Jamaica

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Japan

X

X

X*

   

X

X

X

X

States (continued)

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

Jordan

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Kazakhstan

X

X

X

X

X

Kenya

X

X

    

X

X

X

X

    

Kiribati

X*

X

X

Korea (Dem. People's Rep. )

X

X

  

X

X

  

X

X

X

  

Korea (Rep.)

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Kuwait

X*

X*

X

X*

X

X

X

X

X

X

Kyrgyzstan

X

X

X*

X*

X

X

X

X

X

X

Lao (People's Dem. Rep.)

    

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Latvia

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Lebanon

X

X

X

X

X

X*

X

X

X*

X*

Lesotho

X

X

X

X

X

X*

X

X

X

X

Liberia

S

S

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Libyan Arab Jamahiriya

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Liechtenstein

      

X

X*

X*

X

X

X

X

Lithuania

X

X

X*

X

X

X*

X*

Luxembourg

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Macedonia (Former Yug. Rep.)

T

T

T

T

T*

T

T

T

T

T

Madagascar

X

X

X

  

X

X

X

X

X

X

Malawi

X

X

X*

X

X

X

X

X

X

Malaysia

      

X

X*

X*

X

X

    

Maldives

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Moldova (Rep.)

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Mali

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Malta

X

X

X

  

X

X

X

X

X

X

Marshall Islands

X

Mauritania

    

X

  

X

  

X

X

X

X

Mauritius

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Mexico

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

  

Micronesia (Fed. States)

X

X

X

X

X

Monaco

X*

X*

X*

X

X

  

X

X

    

Mongolia

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X*

X*

Morocco

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

    

Mozambique

X

X

X

X

X*

X

X

X

Myanmar

      

X

X

X*

X

X

    

Namibia

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Nauru

        

X

          

Nepal

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Netherlands

X

X

X

X

X*

X

X

X

X

X

New Zealand

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Nicaragua

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

    

Niger

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Nigeria

X

X

X

  

X

X

X

X

X

X

Norway

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Oman

        

X*

  

X

X

X

X

Pakistan

X

X

X

X*

X

X

Palau

        

X*

  

X*

X*

X*

X*

Panama

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

States (continued)

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

Papua New Guinea

    

X

X

X

X*

X

X

    

Paraguay

X

X

S

X

X

X

X

X

X

Peru

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Philippines

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Poland

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Portugal

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Qatar

    

X

  

X*

  

X

X

X

  

Romania

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Russian Federation

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Rwanda

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Saint Kitts & Nevis

        

X

X

X

X

X

X

Saint Lucia

T

T

T

T

T

T

T

Saint Vincent & Grenadines

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Samoa

X

X

X

X

X

X

San Marino

X

X

    

X

  

X

X

X

X

Sao Tome & Principe

S*

X*

X

S*

X

X

X*

X*

Saudi Arabia

    

X*

X

X*

  

X

X

X

  

Senegal

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Seychelles

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Sierra Leone

X*

X*

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Singapore

      

X*

X*

X*

X

X

    

Slovakia

T

T

T

T

T

T

T

T

T

T

Slovenia

T

T

T

T

T

T

T

T

T

T

Solomon Islands

T

T

T*

T

T

T

T

Somalia

X

X

X

      

X

X

    

South Africa

S

S

S

X*

X*

X

X

X

X

Spain

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Sri Lanka

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Sudan

X

X

X

  

X

  

X

X

    

Suriname

T

T

T

T

T

T

T

T

T

Swaziland

    

X

  

X*

  

X

X

X*

X*

Sweden

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Switzerland

X

X

X

  

X*

X*

X

X

X

X

Syrian Arab Rep.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Tajikistan

    

X*

  

X

X

X

X

X

X

Tanzania (United Rep.)

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Thailand

  

X*

    

X

X

X

X

    

Togo

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Tonga

    

X

X

X*

  

X

X

    

Trinidad & Tobago

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Tunisia

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Turkey

S

X

X*

X

X

X

Turkmenistan

X*

X*

X

  

X

X*

X

X

X

X

Tuvalu

X*

X

X

Uganda

X

X*

X

X*

X

X

X

X

X

X

Ukraine

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

United Arab Emirates

    

X

  

X*

  

X

X

X

X

United Kingdom

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X*

X*

States (continued)

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

United States of America

S

X

X

X

S*

S

X

X

    

Uruguay

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Uzbekistan

X*

X*

X*

  

X

X*

X

X

X

X

Vanuatu

X

X*

X

X

X

X

Venezuela

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

    

Viet Nam

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Yemen

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Yugoslavia

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Zambia

X

X

X

  

X

X

X

X

X*

X*

Zimbabwe

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Total states party

141

143

155

128

189

163

184

184

150

143

Signatures not followed by ratification

5

2

6

3

1

4

0

0

0

0

States party since 1/1/95

8

14

8

8

23

23

2

2

14

14

Although universal adherence to human rights legal standards that protect food and nutrition rights still is more aspiration than achievement, human rights increasingly offers a central mobilizing theme to unite international, national, and local community actions against hunger. Ratification of these legal instruments is a key step.

Acknowledgments

This information in this article is abstracted and updated from "The Human Right to Food (1989-1994)" by Ellen Messer. In: The Hunger Report:1995, E. Messer and P.Uvin, eds., pp.65-82. The Netherlands: Gordon&Breach. I thank Elana Ripps for preparing the update of the table.

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