Enforcement of the right to food in Kenya: shifting focus from rural poor to the urban poor

Abstract

The right to food is a fundamental right recognised under international human rights law. From its inception in 1948, the right to food aimed at protecting the most vulnerable in the society. To counter hunger and malnutrition the world realised that a human right approach had to be adopted. However despite the increased attention that the right to food has received many people continue to suffer and die of hunger. This comes at the time when the world has enough food to feed its population. The vulnerable in the society either lack the means to produce or procure food from the market. Poverty and hunger are no longer a predominately rural phenomenon. Due to lack of job opportunities and food shortages in rural areas there is massive migration of the rural poor to the urban areas. This has resulted into mushrooming of overpopulated slums, with residents living in extreme poverty in developing countries. This research focuses on the urban poor. It studies urban poor in Kenyan slum. It looks at the challenges urban poor face in accessing that basic commodity; food. It identifies the right to food violations and the impact it has on that society. This paper finally discusses recommendations that should be adopted to ensure that the right to food amongst the urban poor is realised globally. It is based on the assumption that amongst the vulnerable groups in the world; the urban poor have been neglected. Various states, stakeholders and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) have focused so much on rural poor in the realization of the right to food. This research shall therefore focus on urban poor who either lack the resources to produce food or the income to procure it.