Vice-Chairman of the National Human Rights Committee Dr. Mohammed bin Saif Al Kuwari addressing the press conference at the NHRC headquarters, yesterday.
Doha, Qatar: National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) will hold a two-day International Conference on Food Justice, under the patronage of Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs H E Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, on February 6-7, 2024, in Doha.
The conference is being held under the theme “From A Human Right Perspective - Challenges of Reality and Future Stakes”. It will see participation by over 1,000 officials and experts. The conference will provide a global platform for exchanging knowledge and experiences, building capacities and reviewing legislation, policies, plans and programmes related to food justice from a human rights perspective.
It also aims at developing frameworks and foundations for those working in the field of food justice and human rights to make a start.
The event will be held in partnership with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions, the Office of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and the Arab League.
Addressing a press conference yesterday, NHRC Vice-Chairman Dr. Mohammed bin Saif Al Kuwari said the conference will discuss food crises and find the answer that why at a time when the world is witnessing the spread of modern technologies 17% of food is wasted and hundreds of millions around the world suffer from hunger. He said there is a clear gap in the access to food for millions of people around the world, and this is what experts will discuss during the conference. “We will find solutions for decision-makers and governments to come forward to achieving food justice,” said Al Kuwari.
He said over 400 representatives of governmental and non-governmental organisations with experience at the international and regional levels, and 600 experts at the local level will join the conference.
“The conference comes at a sensitive stage in accordance with human rights, especially the right to food, as the number of hungry people reached 811 million around the world in 2023, an increase of 76 million people compared to 2022,” said Al Kuwari.
On the other hand, he said, 17% of food is wasted during the harvest, production, and distribution stages, according to estimates and reports on food.
“The conference coincides with a humanitarian crisis that the Palestinian people are experiencing in the Gaza Strip, at a time when many countries were keen to sending aid, of which only a little reaches the residents of the strip,” said Al Kuwari. He said this issue will be discussed ar the conference, especially since aid is available at the crossings into the Strip, but it does not reach the residents of Gaza. Al Kuwari stressed the importance of food and medical aid reaching the people of Gaza, regardless of the conflicts and wars, as it is a human right issue since children, the elderly, and women have nothing to do with the war.
He said the conference comes as part of Qatar’s efforts to advance the food sector as the country ranked first in the Arab world and 24th globally in the World Food Security Index in 2021.
Al Kuwari noted that the international humanitarian aid provided by Qatar to address hunger and food shortages through cooperation with the United Nations system, stemming from its commitment to humanitarian responsibility to respond to famine and food security to ensure peace worldwide.
The topics of the panel discussions include International and regional conventions and their effectiveness in achieving the right to food and food justice; efforts of Qatar for developing food production sectors and responding to famine and food insecurity; and the role of mechanisms, organisations, programmes, agencies and commissions of the United Nations … in implementing the right to food based on best practices.
