Championing the right to food in South Africa: the Dullah Omar Institute's experience

This chapter provides the experience of the Dullah Omar Institute (DOI), University of the Western Cape in engaging with the realization of the right to food in South Africa. It provides an overview of the right to food under international law, highlighting the various norms that have been developed towards the realization of this right. This is followed by the discussion on the right to food as guaranteed under the South African law. South African remains one of the few countries to explicitly recognized the right to food in its Constitution. Yet, the implementation of this right at the national level remains challenging, especially for vulnerable and marginalized groups. The chapter examines the activities of the Dullah Omar Institute, towards ensuring the realization of the right to food in South Africa. Through research, advocacy, and training, DOI has continued to champion accountability on the part of the government and other stakeholders in the realization of the right to food. The chapter shares some of the activities of the DOI in this regard and offers some suggestions for the way forward.