Legal Experts Discuss Right to Food and Food Justice

The effectiveness of international and regional treaties in achieving the right to food and food justice are discussed

During the inaugural session of the International Conference on Food Justice from a Human Rights Perspective, legal experts engaged in discussions on key international and regional conventions related to the right to food and food justice. Notable participants included Mohammad Ali Alnsour from the OHCHR, Chafik Ben Rouine from the UN CESCR, and Zubaida Ziani from the Arab League.

The session, attended by various experts including Dr Kaosar Afsana, Basma Tabaja, Joseph Schechla, and Mais Alatiyat, explored working papers on topics such as diplomacy's role in implementing the right to food, challenges and opportunities in Arab world food justice, and human rights perspectives on the right to food. Discussions also covered conventions on armed conflicts, occupation, and the effectiveness of international and regional instruments on food justice.

Experts urged civil society organizations to strengthen food safety, provide support to fishermen and farmers, and ensure job security. Emphasizing that food is more than survival and a celebration of life, the experts highlighted the recognition of the human right to adequate food in international law instruments.

The international community's commitment to universal access to food and achieving food justice was stressed, acknowledging the challenges of hunger due to climate and economic changes, as well as conflicts that use starvation as a tactic. The OHCHR and the United Nations were recognized for focusing on the right to food in policies addressing these challenges.

The session delved into multilateral diplomacy efforts led by the UN, involving international and regional organizations like the Arab League. Challenges hindering humanitarian aid and food distribution, including the weaponization of food in the Gaza Strip, were thoroughly examined.

Participants underscored governments' responsibility to ensure affordable access to adequate food as a human right, linking sustainable development to food security and justice. Famine and high hunger figures were identified as manifestations of justice absence, with wars and conflicts identified as major contributors to the destruction of agricultural lands.

In conclusion, experts advocated for the development of legislation and laws to enhance transparency in food supply chains, ensuring universal access to the right to food.

Source: QNA