‘Stop hunger affecting 8 percent of Europe’s population‘, ‘Stop starvation!’ This is the European Citizens’ Initiative, which the European Commission is to take up and submit to the EU legislative process.
Malnutrition, between hunger and excess. Trilussa’s statistics
In 2016, hunger returned
to increase
worldwide after more than a decade of decline
, with further aggravation in 2017. The situation has also worsened in Europe and Central Asia where currently 14.7 million people are suffering from severe nutritional deficiencies. (1)
At the same time,malnutrition in Europe and around the world is experiencing another unparalleled emergency, in only seemingly the opposite direction. Obesity, overweight and related diseases. Instead, what used to be called the ‘diseases of affluence’ are spreading everywhere, including in developing countries and particularly in the less affluent segments of the population.
Junk food,
junk food,
in fact tends to be more readily available everywhere on the five continents. And it is generally cheaper than the balanced, nutritious foods that everyone needs.
To some little or nothing, to some too much and even more. Inequality, exploitation and speculation call to mind the chicken metaphor coined by Trilussa, never so timely. (2)
‘
Let me explain: from the accounts that are made
according to the statistics of now
risurta that you get one chicken a year:
And, if nun enters into your expenses,
t enters into the statistics the same
For there is an anthro that eats two’
(‘Statistics‘, poem, Trilussa)
Zero hunger, UN 2030 goal
I ‘
Sustainable Development Goals
‘ (SDGs) agreed upon at the United Nations for 2030 contemplate ‘end (extreme) poverty‘ and ‘zero hunger‘ in the 1′ and 2’ places, respectively. (3)
‘Zero Hunger’,‘to End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture‘. Member states are required to take concrete action with definite and feasible actions in order to pursue the Sustainable Development Goal by erasing all forms of malnutrition, including micronutrient deficiency and hypernutrition.
All clear in words. In fact, back in 2000 the 191 UN member states made a commitment to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger in the world by 2015. This was precisely the first of the 8 Millennium Development Goals.
However, the global crisis has worsened rather than been resolved, confirming the unreliability of almost every government on the planet, with the exception of China’s (the only one to have fulfilled its commitments). Thus, today 815 million individuals suffer from hunger, which is the cause of 45 percent of the deaths of children by age 5 (3.1 million). Another 1.2 million live in extreme poverty.
Going forward at this rate, world hunger will affect 2.8 million people between now and 2050. It would only take US$267 million more in aid each year. Peanuts, compared to military spending that instead continues to grow, fueling terror and hardship. (4)
Hunger in Europe, people’s initiative
On 7/19/18, the Commission registered the European Citizens’ Initiative ‘Stop Hunger Affecting 8% of the European Population‘.
The citizens’ initiative is an innovative tool for active participation in European politics, provided for in the Lisbon Treaty. (5)
‘
Stop Hunger’ aims to get concrete actions, from the governments of the
EU member states, to ensure the eradication of the problem. There are five areas of focus:
1) Reduce food waste, with the goal of recovering 44 million tons of food in Europe within two years,
2) Introduce a financial transaction tax in order to generate 30 billion euros a year,
3) Make public authorities responsible for dealing with the problem of malnutrition,
4) Stop speculative phenomena on food production,
5) To guarantee all people a basic level of right to food, in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
In a word, once again, Égalité. The value that society lacks to recover the attributes of civility and democracy.
Dario Dongo and Jessica Trombin
Notes
(1)Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Data.
(2) Trilussa, aka Carlo Alberto Salustri, 1871-1950.
(3)
https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/2_Why-it-Matters_ZeroHunger_2p.pdf
(4) It is worth mentioning that Syria besieged by Western forces is one of the top three countries in terms of the number of migrants fleeing (UNHCR data, 2018)
(5) The citizens’ initiative can be initiated by 7 EU citizens, eligible to vote, residing in at least 7 member states. Following eligibility verification and registration by the Board of Commissioners, signature collection will begin for a period of 12 months. If one million signatures are collected, the Commission is obliged to make a reasoned decision, within the following three months. Deciding whether to follow up on the initiative’s request or not
Dario Dongo, lawyer and journalist, PhD in international food law, founder of WIISE (FARE - GIFT - Food Times) and Égalité.
