The right to food in the spotlight at Human Rights Council’s 58th session

Geneva – The right to food dominated discussions during the 58th regular session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC58), held from 24 February to 4 April 2025, as global leaders reaffirmed the essential role of human rights in addressing the world’s most pressing challenges.

The session opened with a high-level segment featuring around 70 dignitaries and senior officials, setting the tone for over a month of intense discussions. Among the many issues addressed, the right to food stood out as a core theme, woven throughout debates, reports, and interventions.

On 3 March, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk delivered a global update on the state of human rights, raising the alarm over escalating conflicts, civic space repression, and deepening gender discrimination. He emphasized the urgency of safeguarding human rights to secure peace and development and highlighted the right to food as “a clear example of the universality and interconnectedness of human rights,” urging the Council to place it at the center of global efforts.

Michael Fakhri, Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, presented two reports during an interactive dialogue. The first focused on his 2024 visit to Venezuela, outlining the severe humanitarian consequences of unilateral sanctions and structural weaknesses in the country’s food systems. Fakhri underscored that vulnerable groups—such as women, children, older persons, Indigenous communities, and detainees—continue to encounter unequal obstacles in securing sufficient food and proper nutrition. 

The second report presented by the Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, titled Right to food and finance, and national action plans, urged Member States to harness current levels of public spending to drive meaningful transformation in food systems. He called for prioritizing the right to food in upcoming global gatherings, including the Finance for Development Conference and UN Food Systems Summit+4.

Good practices from Brazil and the Dominican Republic were spotlighted, with Fakhri frequently referencing FAO’s contributions. Several Member States, including Malaysia, Colombia and Switzerland, also acknowledged FAO’s key role in advancing the right to food.

FAO reaffirmed its commitment to the progressive realization of the right to food through a series of four interventions across the session, three of which took place in plenary. The Organization emphasized its technical support, policy tools, and collaborative approach with countries, while expressing appreciation for the Rapporteur’s recognition of its work.

The session concluded with the adoption of a resolution, which renewed the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the right to food, ensuring continued international attention and accountability on this fundamental right.

As the global community prepares for key development and food systems meetings later this year, the strong presence of the right to food at HRC58 sends a clear message: securing adequate food for all is not just a development goal, but a human right that must be defended and realized.