1. By: Sahira Copenhaver and Christine Simcox
The Right to Food
By: Sahira Copenhaver and Christine Simcox

2. “In a world overflowing with riches, it is an outrageous scandal that more than 1 billion people suffer from hunger and malnutrition and that every year over 6 million children die of starvation and related causes. We must take urgent action now.” ~Jean Ziegler

3. Hunger Around the World
852 million people do not get enough to eat every day
200 million children under 5 years suffer from malnutrition
More than 5 million
children die each year
from under nutrition and
deficiencies

4. What is the right to food?
The belief that “all people have the right to feed themselves and their families with dignity”
Everyone should have access to nutritionally adequate and safe food
National governments have obligations to respect, protect and fulfill the right to food
All members of society have responsibilities in securing everyone’s right to adequate food

5. Guidelines on the Right to Food
Improve agriculture and food markets and people’s access to those markets
Encourage the full participation of all members of society
Respect and protect people’s access to natural resources and assets
Dedicate national financial resources to anti- hunger and poverty programmes
Strengthen education and training opportunities, especially for girls and women

6. Food is a basic human right

7. People need: nutritionally adequate and safe food
Sufficient in quality, quantity and variety to meet nutritional needs
Free from harmful substances
Acceptable to their culture

8. Results from hunger and malnutrition
Protein-energy malnutrition (PEM)
Vitamin A deficiency
Iron deficiency
Iodine deficiency

9. Responsibility of … National Government
Private business sector/NGO/Civil Society Organizations
Local communities/families/individuals

10. National Government Obligation to …
Ensure, without discrimination that all of its people have the physical, economic access to adequate, safe, and nutritional food
Encourage, enable, and empower individuals and create necessary circumstances for people to be able to provide for themselves and their family
Must …
Respect, Protect and Fulfill

11. Key Principles and National Policies
Non discrimination
Transparency
Participation
Accountability

12. Private Sector/NGO/Civil Society Organizations
Responsibility to secure the right to food
Responsibility to help those in need
Resources to help those in need

13. Local Communities/Families/Individuals
Responsibility to enhance their community
Responsibility to protect their neighbors, families, and friends
Responsible for themselves and providing for their own needs

14. What you can do …
State College Area Food Bank: Food Drive, Birthday Bags, Volunteer
to find a food bank in your area
an organization in the Greater Philadelphia Area helping with hunger
America’s Second Harvest
can connect you with organizations that help combat hunger worldwide

15. What do you think?