Inland Fisheries

The relationship between the governance of small-scale fisheries and the realization of the right to adequate food in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals

Governance & policy
31/12/2017

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is explicitly grounded in international human rights law. Its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aim to realize the human rights of all without distinction of any kind as to race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth, disability or other status. The Agenda is to be implemented in a manner that is consistent with the obligation of states to respect, protect and promote human rights and fundamental freedoms. Its processes shall be guided by the principles of equality and non-discrimination, participation and transparency, human dignity and empowerment, and accountability and the rule of law. With its particular focus on those left behind and “reaching the furthest behind first”, the 2030 Agenda encourages states to address structural barriers that exacerbate and perpetuate discrimination, exclusion and marginalization.

The 17 interrelated SDGs and their targets cover a wide range of sectoral issues, from food security and nutrition to the sustainable use of natural resources. Many of the goals and targets relate closely to economic, social and cultural rights (UNGA, 2016). Some of the goals, such as Goal 5 on achieving gender equality, Goal 10 on reducing inequalities and Goal 16 on promoting peaceful and inclusive societies, enshrine clear human rights principles and cut across the various sectors covered by other SDGs.

This conceptual-level information note seeks to highlight the human rights aspects of the goals and targets relating to food security and small-scale fisheries (SSF), particularly from the perspective of the right to adequate food, and to demonstrate how this interrelationship plays out in the monitoring mechanisms established by relevant instruments. It is the product of a collaborative effort between the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to support, using a human rightsbased approach, the integrated implementation and monitoring of those SDGs that are particularly relevant to the mandate of FAO. It is meant to inform and inspire relevant initiatives of governments, civil society organizations (CSOs), intergovernmental bodies and other relevant actors.