food as a human right: a struggle for human dignity and food sovereignty

the causes of hunger and violations of the right to food are analysed within a human rights framework. individual entitlements and state obligations to guarantee access to food are explained, to clarify how the right to food does empower oppressed communities and individuals against the state and other powerful actors. a summary is given of the evolution in human rights thinking and how it has given way to a clear and detailed definition of the content of the right to food. It is argued that it is urgent to implement this right, after two decades of disposession and marginalisation of rural populations and producers. the human rights approach has its limitations, and it is not the only way to struggle for justice. But it is slowly gaining ground within social movements locally and globally (e.g. la Via Campesina). even if this struggle for the right to food within an aim of food sovereignty will still take a while, violations can be and are documented and stopped with (international) citizen pressure already today. it is an essential instrument to place food production and consumption again at the heart of communities and human dignity. a r t i C l e i n f o