Op-Ed: Famine Is A Policy Choice Canadian and Italian Y7 delegates call for urgent action to eradicate hunger for the sake of future generations
Written By: Mojann Zibapour, Carla Guillaume, Rahul Pallan, Erika Dupuis, Fabio Boniolo, Giulia Bosi, Rachele De Angelis and Tullio Ambrosone
As the world entered its second year of the COVID-19 pandemic, we, the Youth 7 delegates, started our journey, albeit virtually, to the Y7 summit. Our role is to ensure that young voices are heard at the G7 and to bring innovative calls to action on the problems that youth are most concerned about. As we look ahead to our collective future, we want no country to be left behind. We fear that the South African proverb, which states “abundance does not spread; famine does,” is more valid than ever this year, with a staggering 34 million people across 20 countries critically close to starvation. However, we know that with international cooperation and immediate action, millions of people, including youth, can be brought back from the brink.
Famine is a policy choice. G7 leaders must critically question their role in sustaining the causes of famine, whether it be conflict, inadequate funding, disdain, or privilege. Famine is not a natural occurrence, and individuals and communities impacted by famine are not disposable. G7 leaders must develop concrete action plans to address gaps in funding, upscale the distribution of life-saving food and health assistance, and invest in early prevention and detection of hunger-related indicators, including malnutrition. For these actions to be successful, it is vital to ensure that financial support is tied to equitable distribution and increased accessibility of resources, and meaningful partnerships with civil society and citizens in the communities they are seeking to support. With multiple emerging and long-standing famine threats occurring globally, G7 countries can no longer stay indifferent. Impassivity today will have devastating consequences for future generations.
Conflicts, climate change, natural capital degradation and, most recently, the COVID-19 pandemic, are among the leading causes of rising global hunger. Extreme weather conditions are exacerbating complex emergencies in areas simultaneously hit by drought, floods and tropical storms, often increasing outbreaks of infectious diseases. Malnutrition and its long-term physical and cognitive consequences are putting at risk the development of human capital in countries worldwide. Acute hunger is due to rise steeply in most of the world’s regions – from Afghanistan to Syria, from Lebanon to Haiti. The state of our planet today reflects centuries of greed, wasteful commercial practices and colonialism. The world’s most industrialised countries have plundered the resources of many nations whose people are now starving. Young people today recognise that famine and environmental degradation are forms of oppression that we must denounce.
As G7 leaders meet on June 11th to address the global economic crisis, young people across G7 countries call on their leaders to address global hunger as the foundation for economic prosperity, recognising we must first address basic needs before implementing sustainable and equitable economic infrastructure. For too long, the global community has dragged its feet. Now, it has no choice now but to come together and invest in innovative, long-term strategies to fight famine, address the vicious circle of conflict and hunger, and pave the way for healthier and more resilient societies. Consistent access to food is a human right and should no longer be limited to the Global North alone. G7 countries are leaders in multiple multilateral forums, including the G20, United Nations and OECD, and therefore have a duty to leverage their leadership to better world hunger outcomes. As Youth 7 delegates, we urge G7 leaders to be courageous and bold in their commitment to fighting famine by scaling up current commitments, bringing on board all relevant stakeholders, including affected communities. We call for long-term strategies to build robust social protection systems and reinforce local and national food supply chains to empower farmers and citizens in isolated areas.
Young people want to be on the right side of history. We have a moral responsibility to urge G7 leaders to invest in human capital and tackle inequalities. The fight against famine is much more than a food issue: it is the opportunity for us, as a society, to dismantle the structures that keep people in abject poverty and prevent them from living their life with dignity. We must invest in better infrastructures and education, and build the next generation of citizens and leaders. We must encourage innovative ideas and offer better opportunities to those who are marginalised, particularly women. As representatives of the youth, we believe in inclusion and empowerment.
Famine is a choice. What choice will our G7 leaders make?
Future generations are watching.