Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 25 (1948) mentions that “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.”

Everybody should be able to obtain enough food to satisfy hunger either by producing or buying it. Providing food for the current needs of human beings including disadvantaged groups should not jeopardize the long-term available of food for all.

All human beings are equally entitled to human rights by birth regardless of sex or place of birth. Governments of nations are obliged to protect human rights of the people living in various countries and nutritious food is the most basic of these human rights. 

Bangladesh reached the lower-middle-income country status in 2015. Over recent years, poverty and extreme poverty have gradually declined and reached the level of 31.5 and 17.6 percent in 2010, with further reductions until today.

However, despite progress and the improved availability of food due to increased production, 40 million people – one quarter of the population – experience food insecurity and 11 million suffer from acute hunger. Stunting – a condition resulting from poor nutrition, with negative effects on a child’s physical growth and cognitive development – affects 36 percent of children under 5, and up to 50 percent among the poorest and those living in slums. In total, 5.5 million children in Bangladesh under 5 are chronically malnourished.

The Bangladesh Constitution recognizes the citizens’ right to food in state policy. Article 15 (a) of the Constitution stipulates the fundamental responsibility of the State to securing for its citizens the provision of the basic necessities of life: food, clothing, shelter, education, and medical care.

However, there is no specific legislative framework in Bangladesh towards achieving the most basic right to food in the context of national food security.

Therefore, we are demanding a “Right to Food Law” in Bangladesh.

Please support our campaign by signing this petition. Thank you.

To learn more about this campaign please visit at https://www.facebook.com/signforRtFlaw/