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Human Rights Council considers food crisis
The UN High Commissioner for Human rights Louise Arbour says soaring food prices are likely to lead to further exclusion and discrimination of the most marginalized groups.
"The Human Rights Council special session was called to discuss the human rights angle to the current global food crisis. Ms Arbour said the food crisis was the result of several factors including unfair trade practices, distortions in supply and demand as well as skewed policies involving incentives and subsidies. She said states bear the obligation under the human rights law to provide sustainable access to food without discrimination.
'A failure to act in a comprehensive manner may also trigger a domino effect by putting at risk other fundamental rights, including the right to health or to education, when people are forced to forego competing basic necessities and services in order to feed themselves and their families.'
Newly appointed UN expert on the Right to Food Olivier De Schutter called for a freeze on all new investments and subsidies favouring the production of bio fuels.
'Certain reactions, the withdrawing of children especially girls from school, the distress sales of productive assets, the malnutrition of pre-school children may have dramatic and irreversible consequences. It is our responsibility to identify the means to mitigate the impacts of soaring food prices on the very poor and to act on the structural causes of the situation.'
The council is expected to consider for adoption a resolution sponsored by over 30 countries calling on states to take all necessary measures to uphold the right to food as an essential human right objective. The resolution also urges countries to consider reviewing any policies which could have negative impact on the realization of the right to food.
Patrick Maigua UN Radio Geneva."
(duration: 2'01")
