Archive for month: December, 2022

December has been declared as Universal Human Rights Month, in which we honor the
fundamental rights that should be accessible to all human beings. The United Nations created
this declaration with 30 articles that recognize rights in all areas of humanity; culture, food,
leadership, freedoms, health, education, and so on. Hemp Aid is drawing particular attention to
Article 25 which states that “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the
health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing, and medical
care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment,
sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his
control.” Food is the first thing mentioned here when describing what is needed for a healthy
standard of living and we are going to dive into this and food as a human right.

Food is the single most uniting thing on this planet; it does not matter who you are or where you
live, everybody needs food. Unfortunately, this reality is not often satisfied or realized as political
instabilities promote food insecurity and vice versa. When looking at maps of political instability
and food insecurity, the two are nearly identical. Civil conflict and food inaccessibility is a two-
way street; hungry people often turn violent out of vulnerability and desperation, and political
upset causes disruptions in the food system. This pattern lies within too many human rights but
it is especially significant in the case of food because this is something that all bodies require
to sustain life.

For nearly all cultures around the world, agriculture is the central component, and this should
remain even throughout (and especially throughout) the challenges of the world. To address
civil conflicts and other instabilities, people need energy from food. For this reason, it is
imperative to protect agriculture and access to food. Systems should be set up that provide
safety nets for the agriculture sectors, that allow for production and distribution even during
conflict or other unfortunate occurrences. The importance of food is becoming increasingly
recognized and must continue to be in order to tackle other challenges and implement more of
these human rights.

While not everyone cannot fight these heavy problems head-on, there are things that people
can do to spread awareness and provide support for human rights. Reading and sharing
articles, blogs, and social media posts from organizations such as Hemp Aid or the United
Nations is a great way to gain and spread awareness regarding these topics. Within aid
organizations there are volunteer and career opportunities that address challenges and help
implement these human rights. Any time is great for educating yourself and others on global
topics but December is specifically designated for recognizing and honoring the United Nations’
Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Thank you for reading and please spread the message. Happy Holidays from Hemp Aid!