The Universal Periodic Review: Progressing the Right to Food in the U.S. Through International Advocacy
- Photini Kamvisseli Saurez
- May 19
- 3 min read
By Photini Kamvisseli Suarez
On April 7, 2025, the National Right to Food Community of Practice submitted a report titled Progressing the Right to Food in the United States to the Fiftieth Session of the Universal Periodic Review of the United States. The report was endorsed by 40 partner organizations and draws on research and the lived experiences of Community of Practice members throughout the country, gathered through extensive interviews and surveys. It discusses the status of the right to food in the United States and paints a picture of the state of the current food system in the U.S., and the chronic food crisis the nation is facing as a result of this system.
During the most recent National Right to Food Community of Practice monthly shared learning meeting on May 13, 2025, our members discussed current plans for international human rights advocacy as well as the overall process of this review. The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) provides an opportunity to conduct an extensive human rights based review of each United Nations Member State about every four and a half years. States are reviewed by the Human Rights Council (HRC), an intergovernmental body of the United Nations that consists of 47 Member States. The UPR process is a regular accountability mechanism for Member States with regards to their human rights record - highlighting both positive actions taken to combat human rights abuses as well as instances where violations are occurring and intervention is needed.
The National Right to Food Community of Practice submitted a joint report as part of the data gathering phase of the UPR, and we will continue to participate in the process throughout this year, advocating for the advancement of the right to food in the United States. Following the submission of our report, and prior to the official UPR review session that is scheduled to take place in November, there will be an opportunity to provide additional evidence at a meeting in Geneva, Switzerland. This pre-session will take place from August 26 to 29, and “serve[s] as a unique sounding board for grassroots and national voices to bring their knowledge and expertise to the attention of the international community.” At least one representative from the Community of Practice, Noel Didla from the Mississippi Food Policy Council, will be in person in Geneva during the pre-session, supporting our right to food advocacy on the ground. The Community of Practice is also planning to collaborate with international partners to host an event during this time that aims to highlight major food system and food justice issues in the U.S., and to use this opportunity to seek answers and reform on an international platform in front of an international audience.
We want to express our gratitude to all those who contributed to the joint submission by sharing their experiences through interviews, surveys or focus groups. This has enabled us to include personal examples in our report of the work that is needed to advance the right to food. We are also grateful to everyone who supported the research and drafting of the report, and to our partner organizations who endorsed the report.
We want the information gathered for this report to be used not only in the UPR process but also as a resource for all those seeking to advance the right to food in the United States. Therefore, we are planning to publish a series of thematic briefings, drawing extensively on the information in our report and anchored by quotes and stories from our members of their own experiences navigating an unjust food system. The aim for this series is to provide a set of immediate and useful tools to advocate for the right to food in the places close to home for each of our members. We look forward to sharing these briefings with you soon!
