Mildred Sharra works to secure the right to food for people in Malawi through the Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation
It's a concept that's hard for Canadians to fathom, but in Malawi, where up to half the country's 12 million people don't have enough to eat, having the right to food enshrined in the constitution would be a major step forward.
Several NGOs in the south African country are advocating for the stipulation to be enshrined in Malawi's constitution by the fall of 2006.
The bill would help ensure access to food for the entire population by committing the government to act responsibly and in the population's best interest.
"It will be legally binding," said Mildred Sharra, a member of the taskforce on the Right to Food and project officer with Malawi's Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation. "It's about the government fulfilling, respecting and protecting the right to food."
The project is supported by Presbyterian World Service & Development through the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian. The taskforce was created by the society to help push ahead the right to food legislation.
Food shortages in Malawi have been ongoing for years thanks to flooding as well as government decisions that made the situation worse. In late 2001, almost all of Malawi's grain reserve was sold – a decision made by then-president Bakili Muluzi despite early warnings that a shortage was coming. Advice to sell reportedly came from donor agencies led by the International Monetary Fund, according to CHRR's 2003-04 annual report.
It was soon noted that a transparent grain reserve that ensures an adequate supply of grain throughout the year is needed, as well as greater freedom of the Malawian government to make its own decisions regarding food security and trade policies. "If the government is going to set priorities, this has to be one of them," said Sharra, during a recent visit to Canada.
Current president Bingu wa Mutharika, elected in 2004, is committed to his anticorruption campaign, hoping to stimulate investment in the country. The task force is hoping this focus will bode well for the bill's adoption.
The bill was created through extensive consultations with locals and civil society. The next step is sharing the finished product with Malawians. "People need to own the bill," said Sharra. "If it's coming from the grassroots up, there will be more of a human rights emphasis."
The bill has three parts. The first outlines the obligations, duties and responsibilities for government and stakeholders in securing the right to food. The second details the need for transparency, helping to curtail the abuse of funds and resources, and the third provides for the creation of a national food security agency, which will monitor progress and help implement the bill's stipulations.
"We hope the government can be taken to task, and we hope citizens can take up their responsibilities as well," she said. "Citizens need to make a commitment to provide food for themselves. They have to ask, 'What choices can I make to not violate my family's right to food?'"
Despite her hopefulness, Sharra realizes this ground-breaking bill – something that hasn't been introduced in any other country – may not reach its goal. "If it's not adopted, I won't call it a failure. It has increased sensitization; people are being informed of their rights and it is changing mindsets. And hopefully it has impacted the way decisions are made in the future."
In a country where 70 per cent of the population is poor and don't even know what human rights are, raising awareness is an important step. "If you remove human rights, what do they have?" asked Sharra.
No subsidies are currently given to help farmers work the land. Sharra said the government has to accept a responsibility to offer subsidies when needed, ensure farmers have access to equipment, and are able to own their land – a rare occurrence in Malawi. She said cultural practices also have to change, such as women doing the bulk of the farming. She said men have to start pulling their own weight, helping to ensure their family's right to food.
"Malawi is in a vulnerable situation right now," she said. "This bill should be one of its priorities; to provide food to its citizens." – AM
