In the context of his mandate, the Special Rapporteur on the right to food receives a large number of communications alleging violations of the right to food and related rights worldwide. Such communications are received from national, regional and international non-governmental organizations, as well as intergovernmental organizations and other United Nations procedures concerned with the protection of human rights.
Within the limit of the available resources, the Special Rapporteur may accordingly write to the concerned government, inviting comments on the allegations made, seeking clarifications, and reminding the government of its obligations under international law and requesting information, where relevant, on steps being taken by the authorities to redress the situation in question.
The Special Rapporteur also communicates publically when allegations of right to food violations are considered urgent and the benefits of raising public awareness was seen as crucial to influencing outcomes. In these cases public statements were made either following exchanges with interlocutors which were unsatisfactory, or following a lack of response from the competent authorities over the allotted time period.
Press releases
| Read | 18/04/2013, Geneva: 'World Bank-led privatization of Burundian coffee industry must not repeat errors of the past' – UN experts warn |
| Read | 23/05/2012, Geneva: South-East Asia / Agrofuel: UN rights experts raise alarm on land development mega-projects |
| Read | 28/02/2012, Geneva: Bangladesh open-pit coal mine threatens fundamental rights, warn UN experts |
OHCHR communications reports
- Communications report of special procedures 1 December 2012 - 28 February 2013
- Communications report of special procedures 1 June-30 November 2012
- Communications report of special procedures 16 March-31 May 2012
- Communications report of special procedures 1 December 2011 - 15 March 2012
- Communications report of special procedures 1 June-30 November 2011
- Communications report of special procedures 1 December 2010 -31 May 2011
- Background Paper, A review of submissions received and of Letters of Allegation and Urgent Appeals sent between 2003- 2009 by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food