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Rights based approaches to addressing food poverty and food insecurity in Ireland and UK

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Dowler, Elizabeth, 1951- and O'Connor, Deirdre. (2012) Rights based approaches to addressing food poverty and food insecurity in Ireland and UK. Social Science & Medicine, Vol.74 (No.1). pp. 44-51. ISSN 1873-5347

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2011.08.036

Abstract

Food poverty is an important contributing factor to health inequalities in industrialized countries; it refers to the inability to acquire or eat an adequate quality or sufficient quantity of food in socially acceptable ways (or the uncertainty of being able to do so). Synonymous with household food insecurity, the issue needs to be located within a social justice framework. Recognising the clear interdependence between the right to food and the right to health, this paper explores how international human rights obligations could inform approaches to addressing food poverty and insecurity with specific reference to Ireland and the UK. Little attention has been paid to how countries should meet their obligations to respect, protect and fulfil the right to food in developed countries. The paper contributes by examining the social and policy circumstances which inhibit poor households from obtaining sufficient food to eat healthily, along with strategies and interventions from State and civil society actors in the two countries. In practice, problems and potential solutions have largely been directed towards the individual rather than at social determinants, particularly as research on environmental factors such as distance to shops has produced equivocal results. Other key structural aspects such as income sufficiency for food are broadly ignored by the State, and anti-poverty strategies are often implemented without monitoring for effects on food outcomes. Thus scant evidence exists for either Ireland or the UK meeting its rights to food obligations to date, in terms of roles and responsibilities in ensuring access to affordable, available and appropriate food for all.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HV Social pathology. Social and public welfare
Divisions:	Faculty of Social Sciences > Sociology
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Food security -- Great Britain, Food security -- Ireland, Poverty -- Great Britain, Poverty -- Ireland
Journal or Publication Title:	Social Science & Medicine
Publisher:	Elsevier
ISSN:	1873-5347
Date:	January 2012
Volume:	Vol.74
Number:	No.1
Page Range:	pp. 44-51
Identification Number:	10.1016/j.socscimed.2011.08.036
Status:	Peer Reviewed
Access rights to Published version:	Restricted or Subscription Access
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URI:	http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/id/eprint/37619