Report on the Violation of the Human Rights to Food in Nepal

On April 19, 2007, Rights & Democracy, a human rights organization in Montreal, Canada organized an International fact-finding mission jointly with other Human Rights groups, National and International observers, on the Human rights to food in Kathmandu, Nepal.

Nepalis one of the 155 countries committed to respect, protect and fulfill the human rights to food enshrined in international law, however according to the organizations in the mission, preliminary investigation reveals that hunger and food insecurity are widespread inNepaland this has more effect on women, children and people living with HIV/AIDS. It also revealed that child malnutrition rates of over 50% are at crisis level.

More findings reveal that some of the obstacles to the realization of the right to food include:

Endemic discrimination and social exclusion; 

Insufficient and insecure access to land and other productive resources, landlessness and evictions; 

Discriminatory access to traditional resources such as forests and fishing areas

The mission, visited affected communities, donor agencies, civil society groups and some government officials, and they found out that the government of Nepal is concerned about the problem but has no stratagem to address the problem.

The organization also reported that this situation is far worsened by the fact that International agencies active in Nepaldo not apply a human rights framework nor emphasize the human right to food in their programs but rather focus more on political process. 
 

ORGANIZATIONS REPRESENTED IN THE FACT-FINDING MISSION:

National organizations:
Action-Aid Nepal, All Nepal Peasants’ Association (ANPA), Community Self-Reliance Center (CSRC), Informal Sector Service Center (INSEC), Lutheran World Federation Nepal (LWF), Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NEFIN), Rural Reconstruction Nepal (RRN).

International Organizations:
Action-Aid Malawi, International Indian Treaty Council, FIAN International, Rights & Democracy.

International Observers: 
Right to Food Unit - Food and Agriculture Organization, Office of the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food.

For more information, visit their website at the top link.