FIAN letter actions regularly led to initiatives from the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food
A recent report from the UN Human Rights Council demonstrates that international campaigns such as Urgent Actions and Rapid Response letters from FIAN have led to initiatives and follow up from Jean Ziegler, former UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food. On several occasions letter actions regarding the Face-It-Act-Now campaign cases in Brazil, Ghana, and Uganda prompted communications from the former Special Rapporteur to the governments and other actors involved. In various cases the Special Rapporteur received replies to his communications with information on positive developments in the cases.
In the beginning of March 2007, a Rapid Response letter on the suspension of the provision of food baskets to the indigenous Guarani Kaiowá in Brazil was sent to the responsible authorities. On March15th, 2007, the Special Rapporteur sent a communication on the same issue. A first response from the government was received on April 17th.
On the March 21st, 2007, FIAN launched an Urgent Action letter on the impact of gold mining activities on the livelihood of the inhabitants of the village Teberebie in Ghana. On April 20th, 2007 the Special Rapporteur wrote a communication to the government regarding this case. The government replied to the Special Rapporteur on July 25th, 2007.
On World Food Day 2007, October 16th, FIAN sent an Urgent Action letter addressing the violation of the right to food of the evictees in Mubende, Uganda. The same case was taken up in a communication from the Special Rapporteur, which was sent out on October 19th, 2007.
The information on the communications from the former Special Rapporteur can be seen as a clear sign that the actors which have been addressed in FIAN letters have also often received additional pressure. The report illustrates that the struggles and efforts of people affected by violations of the right to food can become more visible and obtain responses from governmental authorities to their demands when people from all over the world are informed and obtain the possibility to demonstrate their support by participating in Urgent Actions and letter campaigns. These initiatives were fundamental in prompting the Rapporteur to respond and FIAN will ensure that the new Special Rapporteur will also be regularly informed about our letter actions.
