The right to adequate food is inseparable from human dignity, yet hunger, armed conflict, structural inequalities and environmental degradation continue to undermine its realization. In her first thematic report to the United Nations General Assembly, Reasserting human dignity in times of global war economies: an inception report, Sofía Monsalve Suárez, Special Rapporteur on the right to food since May 2026, sets out the vision and priorities that will guide her six-year mandate. Drawing on consultations with Member States, civil society organizations, grassroots movements, trade unions, human rights defenders, researchers, FAO and the Committee on World Food Security, the report examines persistent barriers to the right to food alongside emerging challenges.

The report highlights the resurgence of famine, the concentration of corporate power in food systems, and the risks associated with digitalization and artificial intelligence. It also examines the undervaluation of unpaid food care work, particularly that performed by women, and the effects of climate change, biodiversity loss, land degradation and unequal access to natural resources. While recognizing advances in human rights standards and national policies, the Special Rapporteur stresses that implementation remains a major challenge.

The report calls for food systems grounded in rights-based approaches, agroecology, food sovereignty and social participation. Its proposed priorities include strengthening local food systems and territorial markets, supporting small-scale producers, improving emergency preparedness, recognizing and redistributing care work, safeguarding traditional knowledge and enhancing corporate accountability. It also emphasizes the responsibilities of States and international institutions in preventing famine, ensuring humanitarian access and aligning financial, trade and agricultural policies with the right to food. The report invites governments, civil society and international organizations to engage in sustained dialogue towards more equitable, resilient and accountable food systems.