Commission represented in the International Consultative Conference on Food Security and Nutrition as Human Rights

The Secretary General of the Commission Shri N.Gopalaswami participated in the International Consultative Conference on Food Security and Nutrition as Human Rights which was held in Johannesburg, South Africa during 25 – 27 March 1999. The Conference was organised by the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) and was inaugurated by the Chairperson, SAHRC.

UNICEF, UNDP, FAO and WHO made presentations on the issue of Right to Food and Nutrition drawing attention to the 1996 World Food Summit held in Rome and various issues relevant to the realisation of food security and nutritional security. The Secretary General of NHRC presented a paper on Judicial Enforcement of Food Security and Nutrition in India. The SAHRC released the Socio-Economic Rights report prepared by them, as a first step towards meeting its constitutional obligation to monitor and assess the realisation of economic and social rights in South Africa.

The Conference also deliberated upon the concepts of food security and nutrition being human rights; policy development and implementation; the impact of micro-economic policies on food security and nutrition; monitoring and assessment and the role of the Government, the Judiciary, the South African Human Rights Commission as organs of civil society. It brought together different departments to look at the extent to which they are fulfilling the rights to food and nutritional security and sensitising them with the need to involve all strata of civil society in addressing the problems in this area. It is expected that the Conference deliberations would give to the SAHRC sufficient material upon the basis of which a plan of action can be drawn by them to fulfil their responsibility to monitor and assess the implementation of this right and to suggest strategies to address these issues effectively.