Under the auspices of HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani and in partnership with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI), and the Arab League, the National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) will organise an international conference on food justice from human rights perspective on Feb. 6-7.
Around 700 representatives of governmental and non-governmental organizations with experience at the international, regional, and local levels are expected to participate in the conference, along with a number of human rights defenders and relevant special rapporteurs, heads of contractual and regional human rights mechanisms, national human rights institutions, policymakers and stakeholders, academic circles, media bodies, influencers on social media, research centers, companies, businesses, international organizations, the United Nations, international and regional organizations, and national bodies concerned with the subject of the conference, in addition to a large number of experts and academics concerned with the food issue at the international, regional and national levels.
In this context, HE the Chairperson of the NHRC and President of GANHRI Maryam bint Abdullah Al Attiyah said that the conference comes within the framework of building a systematic response to understanding the global food crisis, starting from a human rights perspective and proposing mechanisms and tools that would urge governments and international companies to work according to a human rights-based approach to implement the right to food, with all people's access to 'safe, nutritious, and adequate food throughout the year' according to effective mechanisms subject to governance, and enhancing the resilience of people, communities, and systems as an essential factor in achieving sustainable agriculture, enhancing the capabilities of stakeholders to monitor and follow up the extent of all parties' commitment to their duties in this regard, and developing a plan for connectivity and cooperation between them.
Her Excellency indicated that the conference organizers aim to urge the international community, including countries, organizations, and the private sector, to deal with recurring global food crises according to a human rights-based approach to establishing global food systems that go beyond the issue of producing more food to the issue of accessibility and entitlement as well as strengthening international solidarity to realize the right to food that is sufficient, available, and affordable for all human beings by addressing economic and social inequalities, and developing a generous and fair global and national food policy that provides the conditions for a fair and stable market that does not prioritize profit over human rights.
HE Al Attiyah also pointed out that the conference aims to urge concerned parties to cooperate in promoting the right to food and food justice in conflict areas, in the face of climate change, reducing environmental degradation and global warming, and fulfilling their main responsibilities in ensuring that every person subject to their jurisdiction has physical and economic access at all times to adequate food or the means to purchase it. Her Excellency stressed the conference organizers aspire to enhance work on the second goal of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, with a focus on protecting weak and fragile groups and devoting a place to them at the heart of the global response to ensure that countries hear their demands and address them, in addition to enhancing the rights of future generations to fairness, equality, accountability and governance, and in providing sustainable solutions away from the current focus on science, technology, markets and investments, which did not succeed in resolving the food crises.
She stressed that the topic of the international conference is the most important global human rights concern that has appeared on the international agenda during the past few years. Her Excellency added that the conference will provide a dialogue platform for discussion, analysis, and exchange of knowledge, experiences, and good practices, as well as a review of legislation, policies, plans, and programs related to the right to food at the international and national levels. Her Excellency pointed out that Doha's hosting of the international conference comes as part of a series of efforts by the State of Qatar aimed at advancing food production sectors, in addition to its international humanitarian assistance to address hunger and food shortages through cooperation with the UN system, stemming from its commitment to its humanitarian responsibility to respond to famine and food insecurity and out of an awareness that this contributes to maintaining world peace and addressing the causes of conflicts, noting that Qatar ranked first among Arab countries and 24th globally in the World Food Security Index for 2021.
HE Al Attiyah praised the hosting and organizing of the International Horticultural Expo 2023 Doha, which will continue for 179 days with the participation of more than 80 countries and various international governmental and non-governmental organizations to explore and adopt innovative solutions to combat the effects of desertification at the international level and promote sustainable innovations, modern agriculture, and environmental awareness. Her Excellency stressed that this is a follow-up to the commendable efforts within the framework of preserving the environment and enhancing food security.
