Allowing Hunger Violates Human Rights

This summer, I visited my birth country of Nepal. Though Nepal is, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful countries in the world, it is also one the poorest. Like many Third World countries there is an extreme gap between the rich and the poor. Being rich in Nepal is equivalent to being part of the upper-class in America.

On the other hand, the poor are not able to afford proper housing, clothing or even basic necessities such as food or water. This summer, I visited Nepal as part of the upper class. Despite the clear division between rich and poor, I was still exposed to the problems faced by those living in poverty. It is striking to see poverty and hunger especially, firsthand.

Growing up well-off in the United States, I can barely imagine what it is like to crave food so badly and not be able to afford it. It is hard for me to miss just one of my three meals a day, and I can't begin to contemplate going to bed hungry. Yet, people around the world, in the Third and First World countries, do it on a daily basis.

According to the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization, malnutrition affects approximately 850 million people globally. Though, this figure is astonishing, it becomes even more amazing when compared to the number of overweight people. 2006 was the first year in human history where there were more overweight than malnourished people. This raises the question: do we lack food, or is there a misallocation of global resources?

Considering how many people are overweight worldwide, it seems that the problem is the latter rather than the former. A fundamental cultural flaw of overindulgence and a lack of moderation exists in many developed countries - there is always a demand for more. It is evident when you walk into a restaurant and order a meal. Most fast-food chains make it economical to order a larger size over a smaller one. It is a status symbol to be able to buy what you want, when you want it.

In a capitalist culture that is constantly demanding more, and lacks any sense of moderation, it is not surprising that people on the other side of the scale are often overlooked. It is easy to forget that there are people literally dying of hunger when all you are thinking about is moving up to that next level. When most Americans look around and see so much obesity, it is hard to fathom that people are hungry. When the reality of an issue does not hit home, it is easy to dismiss it.

Considering the negative health impacts of both malnutrition and obesity, it is an error to dismiss either. In young children malnutrition retards growth and development. The World Health Organization (WHO) states that undernourished pregnant women are more likely to have children with low survival rates and birth weights, learning disabilities and health issues later in life. Obesity, on the other hand, has been linked to cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and even some cancers.

These are serious concerns, and they must be addressed. Rather than tackling each issue as a separate entity it should be understood the obesity and malnutrition are connected. It is clear that there is a severe problem with the way food resources are distributed. Rather than keeping an excess of food in the hands of those who can afford it, food should be shared equally.

According to the WHO, "Freedom from hunger and malnutrition is a basic human right and their alleviation is a fundamental prerequisite for human and national development." This statement implies that depriving someone of food, especially while indulging, is violating their basic human rights. Even if the immediate economic impacts do not seem beneficial, the ethical implication of feeding the world should outweigh any monetary concerns.

At first, it seems implausible to redistribute food sources worldwide. Admittedly, reallocation by itself would be an expensive process. The biggest problem with reallocation is the lack of infrastructure. The places that are hardest hit with malnutrition suffer from poverty as well. There is a lack of roads and communication. Even more difficult than obtaining the food would be transporting it where it is needed. Reallocation, then, demands proper infrastructure. Once an infrastructure is set in place it would have multiple positive impacts on society. Not only would food distribution improve, health care and education would be benefited as well.

The final outcome of feeding the world and better allocating the world's resources would be beneficial for all parties. Better distribution of food would not only alleviate the malnutrition problem, it would help slow the growth of the obesity pandemic. As the nutrition intake becomes more balanced, many health issues relating to obesity and malnutrition would also be better controlled. From a strictly capitalist view, this would save a considerable amount of money in health care expenses. Further, a healthy person is also a stronger person - one who can contribute and give more back to society.

Staff Columnist Pratistha Koirala is a 2nd-semester biological sciences major.