Frequently Asked Questions About the Campaign
Some key questions answered about the One human family, food for all campaign and about Caritas and the right to food.
What is the Caritas Internationalis hunger campaign?
Caritas believes that it is a scandal that nearly a billion people are hungry today in a world that has the resources to feed everyone. The more than 160 national organisations that make up Caritas Internationalis are joining together in their first ever global campaign to call for an end to hunger by 2025.
We believe the best way to achieve that is for governments to guarantee adequate and nutritious food for all in their national laws.
Why the ‘Right to Food’?
We believe God created an abundant world. There’s enough food for everyone, yet one in eight people go hungry each day. We can change this injustice.
The right to food is a human, legal and clearly defined right (see the Universal Declaration of Human Rights) which gives rise to obligations of governments to reduce both chronic undernourishment and malnutrition.
Our campaign calls on governments to include that right in their national legislation. If that can be done, then we could lift 890 million people out of hunger.
The right to food protects the right of all human beings to live in dignity, free from hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition. The right to food is not about charity, but about ensuring that all people have the capacity to feed themselves in dignity.
Key dates for ‘Right to Food’ campaign
Caritas Internationalis launched One Human Family, Food for All on 10 December 2013 with a ‘wave of prayer’ which swept around the globe. We’re asking churches around the world to take part by learning more about hunger and the right to food.
There will be a global week of action in October 2014 with different events and actions around the world urging national governments to adopt a right to food.
In May 2015, Caritas Internationalis will host a ‘General Assembly’ in Rome for the leadership of all its members. The meeting will have a special focus on eliminating hunger.
Caritas will take the campaign to the Milan Expo 2015 – Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life.
What can you do?
Listen, learn about hunger and join us! Caritas national organisations will organise campaign actions at a local level. Get in touch with them and take part in their work. We hope that the multiplication of all this actions around the world will create a tidal wave of support for the right to food. Start by taking part in the campaign on social networks: Facebook: IAmCaritas Twitter #Food4All. Take a look at your food choices: how much food do you waste? Where does the food you eat come from? How can you support fairer food systems?