Module Catalog Archive

Module Catalog Archive

Course: Gender, Nutrition, and Right to Food (4303-471)

Note: Last updated September 2019. Current module catalog in HohCampus.
Persons:
Type of Course:
lecture with exercise
In-Class Hours Per Week:
4
Contents:

Worldwide hunger and malnutrition are largely caused by structural inequalities, characterized by chronic lack of access to adequate food. The majority of those affected are smallholder farmers, pastoralists, indigenous people, landless people, non-farm rural households and poor urban populations, with the women and girls among them being disproportionally affected. Our current food systems not only fail to address hunger, but at the same time encourage diets that are a source of overweight and obesity. This food system failure ultimately undermines the capacity of individuals and communities to be resilient in the face of environmental and social change, including climate change.

Combatting hunger and malnutrition is in many countries a legally binding human rights obligation, with the right to food placing legal obligations on States to realize food security for all, also addressing States’ obligations beyond their borders, including trade relations. In light of on-going conditions of rural, racial, gender, class and other structural power inequities a human rights framework can offer a more precise analysis of the root causes of these inequities, and provides an analytical tool for exploring the policy and practical dimensions of implementing the right to food.

The purpose of this module is to introduce students to the history and development of various UN Conventions in the context of Gender and the Right to Food. Women and girls face specific gender-based risks and are especially vulnerable to food insecurity and hunger. Students will gain insights into how gender, nutrition and the right to food are linked and have to be considered in a holistic way in order to address structural causes of food and nutrition insecurity. Illustrated by case studies based on research undertaken in various regions, and inviting guest speakers from academia and international organizations working on the right to food, large-scale land acquisition, rural development, gender, climate change and related issues, this module will enable students to analyze the underlying social, political, economic and cultural conditions that pose gendered barriers to the Right to Food. Students will further be introduced to rights-based methods and approaches in research.

1. Introduction to the concepts gender, nutrition and right to food, and linkages with other concepts: food and nutrition security, food sovereignty, local food systems, sustainable diets, sustainable development goals, climate change (among others)
2. The international human rights system; human rights conventions; human rights framework; human right to food and link with other rights
3. Women in agriculture; structural and gender-based violence; gender mainstreaming; empowerment; masculinities
4. Research approaches and methodological considerations in the context of gender, nutrition and right to food, with case studies from Ghana, Georgia, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania (among others)
5. Experience of NGOs, faith-based organizations and organizations working in development cooperation: applying concepts to practice (with participation of FIAN International, IFAD, Misereor, among others)
6. Bridging gaps and strengthening the science-policy interface in contributing to achieving sustainable and just food systems and livelihoods for all: examples from research and advocacy

Literature:

Preparatory reading of selected literature (mostly journal-based). The reading material will be available on Ilias before the start of the course.

Location:
Hohenheim
Remarks:

NOT OFFERED IN WS 2018/2019! - Lectures, involving invited guest speakers from academia and non-governmental organisations - Engaging students in discussions with lecturers and guest speakers, group work, argumentation in plenary debates - Comprehensive group work assignment (30% of exam grade) that includes independent scientific journal-based literature research and oral presentation - Case studies from various regions illustrate concepts discussed in class

Module:

Current module catalog