When we use a right to food lens, it shapes our approach to food systems transformation in the following ways:

THEORY OF CHANGE

How we’re working to advance the right to food in the United States, and connecting globally to support the realization of the right to food everywhere.

A right to food framework locates our shared concerns about failures in the food system within an internationally recognized set of norms, aspirations, and obligations. These norms strengthen our local advocacy in towns, cities, and states by providing a collective way to focus on government accountability and the role our government plays in creating and sustaining the conditions needed for all of us to access nourishing food with dignity and choice, both now and in the future.

Framing Food as a Human Right | Advancing the Right to Food | Strategic Plan

Framing Food as a Human Right

We have a track record in the U.S. of organizing around civil and political rights, but not rights to health, housing, fair work, and nourishing food. The Community of Practice is helping to change that.

As a Community of Practice, we are learning, creating and acting together to reweave our country’s social fabric, community by community, and our work is rooted in and guided by the foundational principles of human rights: equity, dignity, agency, and accountability. Human rights, including the right to food, are tools we use to imagine and advocate for the basic freedoms that belong to every person, at every stage of life, regardless of background or circumstances.

Realizing the right to food is about building a society where…

People have meaningful influence over decisions that affect our lives.
Our political system is accountable to and represents the will of the people.
Our food systems are designed to nourish people and the planet, rather than produce profits for a few individuals or corporations.

The freedom to feel safe in our communities and on our way to school, work, and the grocery store;The freedom to drink clean water, breathe clean air and know that our children and grandchildren will have a safe and stable environment;The freedom to live and work on regenerative land and waterways;The freedom to get the healthcare that we need, without going into debt;The freedom to live in a safe and secure home, without having to choose between paying for utilities, rent, or food;The freedom to be treated fairly at work and to be paid enough to cover basic living expenses;The freedom to live without fear of gender or racial discrimination, exclusion, or abuse;The freedom to make choices about the food we eat and to live in dignity.Human rights are important tools to challenge and reform relationships with the people in power that prevent us from living fairly and freely, no matter our race, sex or gender, nationality, ability, or other attributes.

Farmers, fishers, and anti-hunger advocates have shared tools to join up and fight for a just food system that nourishes people and the planet.Community agency and self-determination is recognized in law, policy, and practice, so that our food systems become shaped by people most affected by government decision-making.People begin to see themselves as rights-holders, with a role to play in holding governments accountable for creating the conditions for people and the planet to thrive.Our societal response to hunger shifts from individual and corporate charity to solidarity and a commitment to human dignity. Arable land, soils, oceans, and waterways are protected for sustainable food production and fishing, both now and in the future. Our local and regional economies are designed to actively restore, renew, and revitalize ecosystems and the communities that depend on them. Food is no longer treated as a commodity in the hands of corporations, but as a basic human right in the hands of people.

Advancing the Right to Food

We use human rights as a tool to strengthen local and state advocacy, while building a foundation for the right to food with shared narratives, global connections, and reporting.

We are working to advance the right to food in the United States by:

Accompanying and supporting advocates working at local and state levels with rights-based tools and approaches in order to strengthen the right to food in law, policy, and practice.
Building a shared narrative with collective strategies rooted in rights-based framing in order to shift the narrative from food as a commodity to food as a right.
Engaging globally, by involving U.S. civil society organizations in international processes and policy-making spaces to build solidarity and advocate with others in our shared purpose to progressively realize the right to food within the United States and throughout the world.
Monitoring and reporting on the progression and violations of the right to food in the United States in order to achieve greater government accountability to local communities.

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Strategic Plan 2026-2028

In 2026, we established our first strategic plan to guide our growing community in its work together. Our strategic plan is organized around four interconnected areas of work that strengthen the movement for the right to food—from supporting local advocates to building a shared narrative, connecting globally, and promoting accountability.

We strengthen local and state efforts by equipping advocates with the relationships, knowledge, and tools needed to advance the right to food.How We Do ItWe build a community of advocates working at local and state levels across the United States and provide rights-based tools, shared learning opportunities, and practical support to strengthen advocacy in law, policy, and practice.We support community organizers, advocates, legal practitioners, farm and food policy specialists, and all people who care about how we nourish people and the planet to build collective power and normalize the right to food in public discourse and policy, addressing the root causes of an unjust food system.We promote shared learning through our online meetings, working groups, a fellowship program, and national summits - all to build a collective movement advancing the right to food at local and state levels across the United States. The ResultThe right to food becomes increasingly recognized and advanced in law, policy, and practice across food, agriculture, health, labor, and environmental systems.

We change the conversation by helping people frame food as a human right rather than a commodity. How We Do ItWe develop coordinated messaging, accessible tools, and shared strategies that strengthen a common understanding of the right to food and support members in communicating effectively across different audiences.We support and strengthen a network of individuals and organizations who confidently and effectively challenge the ideas that charity, capturing food waste, or industrial agriculture are the solutions to hunger, injustices in the food system or the climate crisis. We use compelling stories that support a growing movement of people to work together towards a better future for people and the planet rooted in human rights. The ResultA growing network of individuals and organizations confidently uses a human rights framework to shape public understanding and strengthen local advocacy.

We learn from and contribute to the global movement for the right to food.How We Do ItWe engage with international human rights advocates, social movements, researchers, and civil society organizations to strengthen our own understanding of the practical application of the right to food, participate in global policy processes, and stand in solidarity with others. We learn about ways of working that help us advance the right to food here in the United States and contribute to the global struggle for the right to food everywhere. The ResultStronger collaboration across borders advances the realization of the right to food in the United States and around the world.

We make progress and barriers visible by documenting how the right to food is being realized—or denied.How We Do ItWe amplify community experiences, report on progress and violations of the right to food across the United States, and support people in recognizing themselves as rights-holders who can hold governments accountable.The ResultGreater public awareness and accountability help drive meaningful policy change and strengthen communities' ability to claim their right to food.e meaningful policy change and strengthen communities' ability to claim their right to food.

THEORY OF CHANGE

Framing Food as a Human Right

The right to food is connected to a wide range of related rights and freedoms:

When we use a right to food lens, it shapes our approach to food systems transformation in the following ways:

Advancing the Right to Food

Strategic Plan 2026-2028

Accompany & Support

Build a Shared Narrative

Connect & Advocate Globally

Monitor & Document