Reengineer justice institutions to end infant malnutrition
An Oral Statement to the 34th Regular Session of the
UN Human Rights Council from the Asian Legal Resource Centre
(ALRC)
Clustered
Interactive Dialogue with Special Rapporteurs on Environment
and Right to Food
ASIA:
Reengineer justice institutions to end infant malnutrition
in Asia
Mr. President.
70%
of all malnourished children live in Asia. South Asian
countries comprising of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India,
Nepal and Pakistan make up more than 50% of this number.
Exact figures of child malnutrition in China and Myanmar are
not known due to restrictions the two states employ against
independent assessments.
However, available limited
research findings throw China and Myanmar into the same
basket of states that have neglected their future
generations for decades.
Countries like India and China
have financial and technological self-sufficiency to deal
with the problem. Yet the same is not proportionately
reflected in their efforts to end infant malnutrition.
States like Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, Myanmar, Nepal
and the Philippines require external assistance in cash and
kind to deal with the problem. What is lacking however is,
the political will and honesty of the states to admit that a
serious problem exists that needs to be addressed.
It is
not coincidence that the countries that collectively
contribute to 2/3rd of the world’s child malnutrition have
primitive forms of justice institutions. Inability to end
corruption in public administration and services delivery,
and the unwillingness to change, are two among the main
reasons for the prevailing state of child malnutrition in
Asia. Ending public corruption requires a well-functioning
justice delivery system.
The ALRC wishes to enquire with
the Rapporteur on the right to food, whether his mandate has
plans to engage on the structural and conceptual failures of
Asia’s justice institutions that contributes to child
malnutrition and infant mortality in the world?
Thank
you, Mr. President.
Webcast video:
Link (Please scroll down and
click on clip number 4, Asian Legal Resource
Centre)
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The Asian Legal Resource
Centre (ALRC) works towards the radical rethinking &
fundamental redesigning of justice institutions in Asia, to
ensure relief and redress for victims of human rights
violations, as per Common Article 2 of the International
Conventions. Sister organisation to the
Asian Human Rights Commission, the ALRC is based in Hong
Kong & holds general consultative status with the Economic &
Social Council of the United
Nations.