Natural Disasters

Report of the Special Rapporteur on the right to food in the context of natural disasters (A/HRC/37/61).

The report focuses on the right to food in the context of natural disasters, and follows the interim report devoted to the humanitarian system and the right to food in conflict situations (A/72/188). Based on country-specific examples, the report contextualizes direct and indirect impacts of natural disasters on the right to food and people’s livelihoods. The Special Rapporteur then discusses how disasters contribute to hunger and what should be done to reduce human rights violations and damage to the environment. The report also underlines the importance of achieving a convergence between emergency food aid, food assistance and development cooperation, to ensure the realization of the right to food. Finally, she argues that in order to achieve these goals, the common understanding whereby voluntarism is seen as central to humanitarian response efforts needs to change.

Access the full report in six languages here.