Intentionally starving civilians, destroying hospitals, houses and roads and stopping people getting aid are war crimes. In 2018 our advocacy efforts contributed to the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2417, which recognises the links between conflict and hunger and condemns starvation as a weapon of war. We are now advocating to ensure this is upheld.
Resolution 2417 is an important legal pillar which makes clear that food security is a human right and that governments will be held responsible for their actions when they contravene those rights. However, upholding international law won’t solve hunger on its own. A legal right to food isn’t enough when people don’t have any means to get food in the first place. A lack of income, supply chains being broken by conflict, poor transport infrastructure, or climate-related disasters can all restrict access to food.
So, Action Against Hunger teams and our partners work in the world’s most dangerous places to reach people in need.