Press Release Right to Adequate Food and Nutrition Stressed

Press Release

Right to Adequate Food and Nutrition Stressed: Addressing malnutrition is one of the best investments Pakistan can make in its future.

Islamabad, May 23, 2013: Right to adequate food and nutrition was emphasized during a consultation held with human rights organizations by the Development Partners for Nutrition (DPN) in Pakistan. The session aimed to promote nutrition as a basic human right by increasing the understanding and knowledge of the civil society organizations on nutrition which ultimately will lead towards improved nutrition advocacy initiatives by CSOs.

Delivering welcome remarks on behalf of DPN Dr. Tausif Akhtar Janjua, Director, Micronutrient Initiative shared the objectives of the session and the efforts made by DPN in improving the nutrition situation in Pakistan. ‘Nutrition was never considered a priority area and was always taken as a part of health however, we now know that health interventions alone cannot deal with the issue of malnutrition’ said Dr. Janjua.

Today, nearly half of Pakistan’s children and mothers suffer from under-nutrition. This situation is worse than that in much of sub-Saharan Africa said Mr. Luc Laviolette Senior Nutrition Specialist, World Bank. He further stated that ‘Malnutrition is a life and death crisis for many’. Chronic malnutrition levels in Pakistan have not changed in the last 40 years and have been estimated to cost the economy 3% of GDP per year which makes the problem of malnutrition worse than the energy crisis which is costing 2% of the GDP said Mr. Laviolette. ‘We all know what needs to be done but now it’s about generating the political will to do that, he emphasized. We require a repeated call to action and pressure from the civil society to help tackle the issue and if prioritized, malnutrition can be ended in a generation in Pakistan.

More than 350,000 children die in Pakistan every year before their fifth birthday and 35% of these deaths are due to malnutrition said Mr. Arshad Mahmood, Sr. Manager Advocacy and Campaigns, Save the Children. Mr. Mahmood emphasized the importance of the role of human rights organizations in addressing the issue of malnutrition in Pakistan. ‘Human rights and nutrition advocates share a primary concern for the individual human being and an interest in the role of public action in supporting a full and active life of dignity for all human beings’ said Mr. Mahmood. He said that adequate food and nutrition is the right of every citizen as enshrined in Article 38 of the Constitution of Pakistan which states “The State shall provide basic necessities of life, such as food, clothing, housing, education and medical relief”. He also highlighted various human rights instruments focusing on the right to adequate food and nutrition. The Convention of the Rights of the Child (1989) The Convention of the Rights of the Child (1989), states that “States Parties recognize the right of the child to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health …” and shall take appropriate measures “to combat disease and malnutrition” he said.

The presentations were followed by discussion about the role of civil society in advocating effectively for the right to adequate food and nutrition and in the implementation of important laws like the Protection of Breastfeeding and Young Child at the federal and provincial level.  Participants agreed to move forward with a joint action both at policy & implementation levels. The group expressed their commitment to take up issue of malnutrition from the platform of their respective organizations. The session was attended by a large number of civil society organizations including members of the Insani Haqooq Ithad (IHI), Child Rights Movement (CRM) Pakistan, representatives of media and national and international NGOs.