Enough Food for Every Child: a Human Right?

As Elena Gaia prepares for the Geneva launch of World Vision’s ENOUGH campaign that calls for an end to child hunger and malnutrition, she ponders the enormous opportunities that NGOs like World Vision have to amplify the voices of children, while advocating at international forums like the Human Rights Council.  

 “Enough should be a human right, a floor below which no one can fall; also a ceiling above which no one can rise. Enough is as good as a feast – or better.”

                     -- The Ministry for the Future, by Kim Stanley Robinson

I cannot think of a more fitting quote to introduce the launch of our campaign ENOUGH at the 55th Human Rights Council (HRC) in Geneva, Switzerland. As millions of children around the world are on the brink of famine this year (yes famine), we know we have ENOUGH nutritious food in this world for every child to thrive. Even in crises. Solutions and resources are abundant: what is missing is the will to share them fairly and execute at scale.

That’s why World Vision and our NGO partners are at the Human Rights Council, the United Nations body responsible for human rights and one of the global forums where political will to address child hunger and malnutrition can be built and strengthened.

World Vision's engagement at #HRC55 will focus on the Annual Day on the Rights of the Child sessions as well as the launch of our new campaign “ENOUGH! Ensuring children's right to food and nutrition,” on 14 March at the UN Palais des Nations, Room XXV at 17:00-18:00 CET.

Children around the world are fueling our resolve: their brave voices, their powerful calls to action, and their relentless participation in developing more inclusive and just societies that inspire us in everything we do from local programmes to global events.

In particular, I am excited to be sharing the stage this week in Geneva with Sheyla, a girl aged 17, member of the children's network ANALIT in Peru. She has described the "Echo of silence" that “causes groups of children to be denied equal access to education, health, and other essential aspects of life.”

Sheyla continued by saying, “governments should provide more resources to let school meals reach all children.” Travelling from far away, she will bear witness to the importance of nutritious food to propel the next generation in her country.  

Sheyla and I will be joined by a panel of experts in human rights, humanitarian affairs and global health. Together we will discuss how proven solutions such as food and cash assistance, nutritious school meals and essential nutrition actions can be scaled up, global standards translated into frontline investments, and services reaching the most vulnerable children.

Will you join me and Sheyla to break the silence of inequality, poverty, and disempowerment? Then say ENOUGH, act ENOUGH, pray ENOUGH until there is ENOUGH for every child.

Elena Gaia is World Vision’s Director of Global Campaigns. She will be moderating a discussion at #HRC55 on 14 March at 17:00 CET – “ENOUGH! Ensuring children's right to food and nutrition.” Please RSVP for the discussion at https://lnkd.in/eEDYjF7C or watch LIVE at https://bit.ly/3uUnj6U.