17th December 2005
Hong Kong Trade and Development Symposium Session 10.4: Human Rights and the WTO: Exploring Trade Rules That Promote the Right to Food
The goal of this workshop is to examine the links between agricultural trade rules and the realization of human rights. It will examine State’s legal obligations to realize the right to food and demonstrate how the WTO Agreement on Agriculture is undermining State obligations. This will be followed by a case study looking at the impact of trade liberalization on the right to food. Finally, the session will end by exploring ways for States to craft trade rules that promote the right to food and to create a vision for a more just and sustainable multilateral trading system.
Agenda
Welcome- Jean Louis Roy, President, Rights & Democracy
Definition of the Right to Food and the nature of international obligations - tbc
How Does the Agreement on Agriculture Affect the Right to Food? by Carin Smaller, Trade Information Project, Institute for Agriculture and Trade policy (IATP)
The Impact of Trade Liberalization on the Right To Food in Developing Countries: A Case Study - tbc
Pursuing Human Rights in Agricultural Trade Agreements - tbc
States Obligations in Realizing the Right to Food - tbc
Discussion
Organisers
Rights & Democracy is a Canadian institution with an international mandate. It is an independent organization which promotes, advocates and defends the democratic and human rights set out in the International Bill of Human Rights. In co-operation with civil society and governments in Canada and abroad, the Centre initiates and supports programmes to strengthen laws and democratic institutions, principally in developing countries. 1001 boul. de Maisonneuve Est, Suite 1100, Montréal, Québec, Canada, H2L 4P9, www.ichrdd.ca
The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) promotes resilient family farms, rural communities and ecosystems around the world through research and education, science and technology, and advocacy.
2105 First Avenue South, Minneapolis MN 55404, USA, www.iatp.org
Background Documents
Planting the Rights Seed (english)
Planting the Rights Seed (french)
Planting the Rights Seed (spanish)