IV. Resolution 297

THE CONFERENCE,

Recalling the Rome Declaration on World Food Security and the World Food Summit Plan of Action, adopted by the World Food Summit in 1996, in particular Objective 7.4,

"To clarify the content of the right to adequate food and the fundamental right of everyone to he free from hunger, as stated in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and other relevant international and regional instruments, and to give particular attention to implementation and full and progressive realization of this right as a means of achieving food security for all. "

Expressing deep concern at the widespread phenomenon of chronic undernutrition, in particular among women and children in developing countries, and at the fact that more than 800 million people throughout the world, in particular in developing countries, do not have enough food to meet their basic nutritional needs,

Noting Resolution 1997/8 of the Commission on Human Rights, in which the Commission endorses the request made to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights by the World Food Summit,

Noting that the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights is committed to achieving a better definition of the rights related to food and to propose ways to implement and realize these rights,

Noting also that the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights will be holding a general debate on the normative content of the right to food in Article 11 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights at its forthcoming session, on 1 December 1997,

Recalling that the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights will be celebrated on 10 December 1998,

Recognizing the important contribution by FAO to the follow-up of Objective 7.4 of the World Food Summit Plan of Action in co-operating with the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the Commission on Human Rights:

1. Welcomes the work already undertaken by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights regarding the right to food and the cooperation in this respect with FAO;

2. Urges the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to give priority to her ongoing work on a better definition of the rights related to food in Article 11 of the Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and to propose ways to implement and realize these rights as a means of achieving the commitments and objectives of the World Food Summit, taking into account the possibility of formulating voluntary guidelines for food security for all;

3. Invites the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to inform the Committee on World Food Security, at its next session on the progress of her work in this regard;

4. Welcomes the intention of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights to hold a general debate on the right to food and encourages it to continue paying particular attention to the right to food in its work;

5. Urges all governments, in partnership with all actors of civil society, and relevant organizations and appropriate specialized agencies of the UN, including FAO, to cooperate actively with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights with a view to achieving a better definition and to implementing and realizing the rights related to food;

6. Urges the Member Nations of FAO, at the next session of the General Assembly of the United Nations in 1998, and on the occasion of the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, to reaffirm the right of everyone to have access to safe and nutritious food, consistent with the right to adequate food and the fundamental right of everyone to be free from hunger.

(Adopted on 17 November 1997)

58. In referring to initiatives launched by FAO to assist countries in pursuing Summit objectives, several Members made particular reference to the FAO initiative to prepare draft documents on national strategies for agriculture and food security towards the year 2010. A number of Members supported the Special Programme for Food Security (SPFS). Some Members mentioned the positive roles of the SPFS, such as the replicability of the modules, and its role as a catalyst for mobilizing investment resources and triggering policy reforms. A number of Members welcomed the South-South Cooperation Scheme, including one country where the Scheme was operational and had been successful in transferring technology, contributing to a doubling of grain yields.

59. The Conference welcomed the information provided on the first TeleFood (TeleFood 1997) which had taken place on 19 October 1997, in connection with World Food Day, with the main aim of raising awareness and mobilizing support around the globe for the fight against hunger and malnutrition. It noted that in accordance with the provisions of Financial Regulation 6.7 and the General Rules of the Organization, the Director-General would be reporting to the Finance Committee on the collection and utilization of the TeleFood proceeds. One Member Nation, concerned about possible competition with NGO activities, stated that it could not consider itself bound to promote TeleFood nationally.

60. The Conference adopted the following Resolution:

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