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Abstract #153832

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Roni Neff, PhD, SM¹, Iris Chan¹, Emily Goodman, BS¹, Shawn McKenzie, MPH¹, Anne M. Palmer, MAIA¹, Stephen A. Haering, MD, MPH², Polly Walker, MD, MPH¹, and Robert S. Lawrence, MD³. (1) Center for a Livable Future, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD 21205, 410-614-6027, rneff@jhsph.edu, (2) General Preventive Medicine Residency Program, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N Wolfe St., Rm WB-602, Baltimore, MD 21205, (3) Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins University, 615 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205

The right to adequate food is a core human right established in many international declarations and covenants. United Nations General Comment 12 elaborates details of the right, stating that it implies both “The availability of food in a quantity and quality sufficient to satisfy the dietary needs of individuals, free from adverse substances, and acceptable within a given culture;” and “The accessibility of such food in ways that are sustainable and that do not interfere with the enjoyment of other human rights.” In 2004, international governments including the United States reached consensus on a broad vision for implementing the right through voluntary guidelines. These guidelines provide a valuable and under-used tool for advocates seeking to advance food-related public health priorities as normative obligations. This paper reviews the right to food and presents a case study of its application, using the voluntary guidelines as a framework for examining policy options, considerations, and recommendations related to the 2007 US Farm Bill. (If a bill has passed at conference time, the presentation will examine that bill.)

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize the key components of the human right to adequate food
• Discuss benefits of using the human right to food as a policy tool
• Recognize key public health issues in the 2007 Farm Bill that can be addressed using a right to food framework

Keywords: Human Rights, Federal Policy

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No
Any institutionally-contracted trials related to this submission?

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

• Slides (pdf) or Handout