Safeguarding the right to adequate food in disaster preparedness and emergency response: Policy, legislation and institutions in Uganda

Abstract

The rising frequency of natural disasters has impacts for the nutrition situation in Uganda. As State Party to the international Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Government of Uganda is obliged to progressively realize the human right to adequate food (RtF) for all Ugandan citizens. This study is an analysis of the recognition of the RtF in Uganda’s policy-, legislative- and institutional frameworks for disaster preparedness and emergency response (DPER). The study design was cross-sectional and descriptive; the approach qualitative, and data was collected through document analysis, literature reviews and semi-structured interviews with purposively selected duty bearers. Data analysis included the use of indicators, real-time- and content analysis, coding, patterning and statistical analysis for descriptive purposes. The failure to construct, adopt and implement vital plans and laws that would contribute to the realization of the RtF in the context of DPER is linked to the complexity of the DPER- system, as well as the weak recognition of international human rights obligations among key duty bearers. Safeguarding the RtF in disaster planning and management is a prerequisite for fighting malnutrition in Uganda, and needs to be made a national priority