Understanding
children’s right to food
The
right to meals and nourishment is a vital right for all human beings. Food is
an essential element without which human beings cannot survive.
Guaranteed food : an essential right for all
The right to meals and nourishment is the right of each and every
man, woman and child to have guaranteed access to healthy food on a daily and
regular basis.
Four important aspects of food security :
• Food must be available : that is to say in a sufficient quantity for the entire
population.
• Food must be accessible : each person must be able to procure nourishment, either
through his/her own production of it (via farming and livestock) or through
his/her disbursement of sufficient financial capacity to buy nourishment.
• Access to food must be stable and continuous : food must be available and accessible under all circumstances
(wars, natural catastrophes. . .).
Balanced nourisment: a vital right for the development of the child
The importance of a balanced diet
Children must be able to benefit
from balanced nourishment in order to develop in a healthy manner.
Nourishment and meals must be nutritionally filling and contribute to
their physical and intellectual development.
Balanced meals and nourishment are predicated on the correct balance
between necessary proportions of nutrients, carbohydrates, proteins, lipids,
minerals, vitamins, fiber and water. In this manner, one can avoid malnutrition
and problems linked to either excessive eating or dietary insufficiencies.
Problems of malnutrition
In developed countries, food security has existed for several
decades. Population have never experienced difficulties with regard to the
availability and accessibility of the food that they need. Problems associated
with alimentary excess are thus more and more frequent and constitute a threat
to the health of children and adults. This excess can lead to problems of
obesity, diabetes, etc.
On the other hand, in
developing countries, many children suffer from malnutrition. In effect,
families do not possess the means or resources to alleviate their hunger and
vary their meals. As a result, the children do not benefit from nutritional
elements that are essential to their development and are consequently
exposed to serious health problems.
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