International Federation
for Human Rights

During the discussions, the right to food emerged as a crucial issue, given the severe food shortage that
the country is currently experiencing. For the crop season 2001/2002, cereal production is estimated at
670,000 tonnes, whereas needs are of 2,500,000 tonnes. The production of maize has fallen by a
dramatic 67% compared to last year. Approximately 6 million people (out of a total population of 11.9
million) are estimated to have insufficient production, income and entitlement to be able to meet their
minimum food requirements.
Though it is true that a drought has in recent months affected all of Southern Africa, thus limiting the food
availability, it is far from enough to explain the amplitude and the severity of the food shortage. The FIDH,
Zimrights and Solagral hold the view that political factors, among which the lack of democratic control and
an extreme politicisation of the issue of land rights, are the main causes behind the current crisis.
There is little doubt that a fairer and more transparent process of land redistribution, implemented
following the rights to equal protection of the law, non-discrimination and due process, would have been
instrumental in preventing such a significant decrease of food production.
It is evident that a redistribution of the land in Zimbabwe is required in order to achieve social justice. The
FIDH, Zimrights and Solagral nevertheless hold the view that the manner in which the “fast track” land
redistribution programme has been enforced serves only narrow political interests, and has de facto
harmed the very population it was supposed to benefit, i.e. the poor black rural population. Far from
achieving more equality within Zimbabwean society (one of the most unequal in the world), it appears
merely to have served the interests of the ruling elite and its political allies. It is a tragic irony that a fight
fought in the name of human rights should reverse itself to cause added human rights violations to the
population in question.
The FIDH, Zimrights and Solagral note that the misconceived application of the right to land under the
"fast track" programme has a direct bearing on the violation of the right to food. Indeed, the fall of
production is due to farmers forced off the land at a time where they were expected to prepare for the
cropping season, and to resettled farmers without capital and skills to maintain production levels. This fall
of production has lead to lost of their job for 150 000 black farm workers and their families.
Furthermore, the implementation of the "fast track" process has also had a very negative impact on civil
and political rights in Zimbabwe ; indeed, the level of violence, arbitrary detentions, extra judicial
executions, has dramatically increased; human rights defenders have been increasingly under attack
since then.
The responses given by the government of Zimbabwe to the food shortage are also inadequate , and in
many respects contrary to fundamental human right principles.
In particular, the FIDH, Zimrights and Solagral wish to denounce the politicisation of the distribution of
food aid since the beginning of the food crisis. Indeed, there is now ample evidence that food distribution
is subject to a discrimination based strictly on political affiliation. National and international NGOs as well
as media organisations have for instance gathered numerous testimonies of people having to show their
Zanu-PF (the ruling party) card in order to get access to food distribution sites and get food aid.
The FIDH, Zimrights and Solagral strongly condemn such politicisation of food aid, which is not only
contrary to the principle of non-discrimination, but is also in direct violation of the right to food, enshrined
in the International Covenant of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
Furthermore, the FIDH, Zimrights and Solagral wish to underline the perverse effects of the way the
government manages the Grain Marketing Board in the grain imports. The aim of such monopoly is to
maintain grain prices below their import parity levels, thus benefiting poor consumers. Unfortunately, the
way the Board is being managed by the government has effectively discouraged private importers from
intervening and has crowed out private sector participation and initiatives aimed at solving the crisis. The
refusal of the government to allow other players to import both wheat and maize - thereby preventing any
market based contribution to the crisis’ resolution - has strongly aggravated the unavailability of food.
The FIDH, Zimrights and Solagral condemn the violations by the government of Zimbabwe of its
obligations under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, ratified by
Zimbabwe in 1991, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the Declaration and Treaty of
SADC (Southern African Development Community) of 1992 and other international and regional
instruments to which it is party. In particular the FIDH and Solagral note that the authorities have violated
the fundamental principle of non-regression with respect to economic and social rights.
The FIDH, Zimrights and Solagral remind that the right to food is a fundamental human right, and that it is
both a prerequisite to the enjoyment of other rights (such as the right to an adequate standard of living,
the right to health etc.) and is dependent on the realisation of other rights, such as access to land, water,
seeds, credit, etc...
The FIDH, Zimrights and Solagral urge the government of Zimbabwe
As regards the current food crisis :
1. To ensure a fair and impartial distribution of food not based on political affiliation;
2. To allow humanitarian and development agencies (international, national, non-governmental
and inter-governmental) unrestricted access to all affected areas;
3. To make civil society a genuine and effective partner for the resolution of the current crisis
And,
As regards the long-term realisation of the right to food :
1. To entrench the right to food in the Constitution and to enact national legislation for its
realisation;
2. To define and implement an effective poverty reduction strategy with a strong agricultural
component;
3. To immediately enforce the right to land in a fair, equitable, secure and transparent manner
following the principle of due process
The FIDH and Solagral urge the international community as a whole, member states of SADC, donor
countries and international agencies intervening in Zimbabwe in particular :
1. To enforce a constructive dialogue with the government of Zimbabwe based on the respect
Zimbabwe’s commitments to international conventions, the International Covenant on Economic
Social & Cultural Rights in particular;
2. To strengthen the partnership with civil society actors within Zimbabwe to ensure adequate food
distribution.