Right to Food Cities: the Role of Local Governments in the Fight against Hunger

Abstract

Abstract The state-centric nature of international law has been recognized as a severe barrier to the realization of human rights since the outset and remains a concern today across the globe. However, the dominant space the state has historically occupied within the field as duty-bearer, deemed almost exclusively responsible for citizens’ enjoyment of rights, faces a small yet by no means insignificant challenge in the form of human rights cities. While there is a rich literature surrounding municipalities whose local governments embrace non-discrimination, participatory democracy and other human rights principles, a distinct, yet equally fascinating development is the trend in cities who have committed to the furtherance of a singular right. One such phenomenon which has yet to receive significant attention within the academy is the rise in right to food cities in the UK, referring to those which have joined the campaign for domestic recognition of the right. In light of the UK government’s deep-seated resistance to the right, this article explores the advent of right to food cities/municipalities and their potential as an alternative means of targeting hunger and food insecurity within the state. While it is recognized that each individual initiative may only have a localized impact, it is argued that their collective force should not be dismissed at this early stage—their calls for change are only likely to increase in fervour as the effects of the cost-of-living crisis upon the population worsen.