Realizing the right to food in a changing world: The Right to Food Guidelines – 20 years on and beyond

Geneva – On the occasion of Human Rights Day, the FAO Right to Food Team of the Rural Transformation and Gender Equality Division (ESP) organized the launch of the report Realizing the right to food in a changing world – The Right to Food Guidelines: 20 years on and beyond. The online event featured live connections from Geneva, New York, and Rome, which underlined FAO’s cohesive approach on the global agenda, and emphasized the need for collaboration across UN entities at all levels to fully realize the right to adequate food.  

Twenty years after the adoption of the Right to Food Guidelines, this event underscored the critical role of this fundamental human right in achieving food security and nutrition for all, and the need for a human rights-based approach to its implementation.  

The Right to Food in the Global Agenda 

Máximo Torero, Chief Economist, introduced the dialogue on the impact of the Right to Food Guidelines as an opportunity to take a closer look at the systematic challenges such as poverty and inequality in agrifood systems.  

Yusnier Romero Puentes, Ambassador, Deputy Permanent Representative of Cuba to the UN, discussed the role of the right to food in the context of the UN General Assembly, highlighting that the adoption of the Guidelines was valuable to assist all countries in their national efforts. The Ambassador underlined that Cuba will continue to claim for a world without hunger and will present the most recent version of the Right to Food Resolution in the UN General Assembly in December. 

Lara Lobo Monteiro, Alternate Permanent Representative of Brazil to FAO, WFP and IFAD, highlighted the advancement of the right to food in both the Brazilian national context and the global context. She elaborated on the Brazil Without Hunger Programme and highlighted the importance of enshrining the right to food in national programmes and legislation, notably the organic law for food security and nutrition.  

Miriam Ciscar Blat, Chief (Deputy Director) of the Sectorial Branch of the Spanish Agency of International Cooperation, highlighted that the Spanish Government has made the right to food the backbone of its cooperation. She urged to put the right to food back in the centre of the global agenda and called upon States and other stakeholders to redouble efforts and resources towards the realization of the right to food.  

Presentation of the Report  

Juan Echanove, Right to Food Team lead of ESP, provided a brief overview of the report and highlighted how the Right to Food Guidelines were implemented in over 30 countries through constitutions, framework laws, sectoral laws, and/or national strategies. He noted persistent challenges to the implementation of the right to food and highlighted 10 recommendations set forth by the report. He emphasized that the Right to Food Guidelines seek to address structural inequalities and advance inclusive agrifood systems worldwide with access to adequate food for everyone. 

Reiteration of the Collective Commitment towards the Realization of the Right to Food 

Todd Howland, Director of the Development and Economic and Social Branch of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), underlined the main challenges and way forward for building inclusive agrifood systems that uphold human rights, including the abnormally high food prices and non-respect of the right to food in certain regions. He concluded by saying: “today is an opportunity for us to recommit to the Right to Food Guidelines and the principles they uphold.” 

Sofia Monsalve, General Secretary of FIAN International, stressed the importance of collaborative action at all levels, including with civil society, to realize the right to food. In this regard, she applauded the holistic and forward-looking nature of the Right to Food Guidelines.  

Benjamin Davis, ESP Director, closed the session underlining the obligation to speak out on the right to food, and the importance of preventing starvation from being used as a weapon of war.