The human right to food should be put into Scots Law to protect people from rising insecurity, a report to the Scottish government suggests.<\/p>\n
The Scottish Human Rights Commission believes the move “would help tackle health inequalities”.<\/p>\n
Its report was compiled for\u00a0the Scottish government’s consultation on making Scotland a “good food nation”.<\/a><\/p>\n The government said it was committed to protecting internationally-recognised human rights.<\/p>\n The right to food is currently enshrined in international legislation.<\/p>\n The commission said this right – which involves food being accessible, adequate and available for everyone – is not being realised across Scotland.<\/p>\n Food insecurity is “unacceptably high”, the report said, with more than 480,500 food parcels being handed out by food banks between April 2017 and September 2018.<\/p>\n It continues: “Health inequalities are persistent with many people, including children, unable to afford or access a healthy and nutritious diet.”<\/p>\n Before making its submission, the commission spoke to people experiencing food poverty in Scotland, including a mother who lives with her one-year-old son in a rural area.<\/p>\n She said: “My universal credit was delayed and I had 85p left in my bank account.<\/p>\n “I had run out of nappies and wipes and was worried I would have no money for milk or food for my son if it did not come through.<\/p>\n “I had a food parcel delivered recently and I think I’ll need another this week.<\/p>\n “To reach a low-cost supermarket is a three-mile walk, making it a six-mile round trip on foot with my baby in a buggy.<\/p>\n “To get the bus would cost me \u00a35, which would take a significant chunk out of my weekly food budget.”<\/p>\n Commission chairwoman Judith Robertson said: “International law is clear that governments have obligations to take action to ensure people’s right to food is realised.<\/p>\n “The Scottish Human Rights Commission is calling on the government to take action to incorporate the right to food into Scotland’s laws as part of its work to make Scotland a good food nation.<\/p>\n “We want to see the Scottish government showing human rights leadership in a practical way.”<\/p>\n The consultation document states that the option of exploring a right to food which is directly enforceable under Scots law “has not been ruled out”. But it suggests any proposals sit within wider human rights responsibilities.<\/p>\n The Scottish government said a national taskforce was being established to take forward the group’s recommendations.<\/p>\n A spokesman added: “We have also increased our Fair Food Fund to \u00a33.5m this year to continue supporting organisations that help to tackle the causes of food insecurity.”<\/p>\n Source: bbc.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Food insecurity<\/h2>\n
‘Practical leadership’<\/h2>\n