New Publication Outlines Concrete Recommendations to Implement the Right to Food in the Canton of Vaud
The right to food was recognized in the 1966 International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), which Switzerland ratified in 1992. However, this right is not recognized in the Swiss Federal Constitution. Measures taken in Switzerland to tackle food insecurity—an issue that has worsened since the Covid-19 crisis, with for example 12’,000 people relying on food aid in Lausanne today—largely depend on charities and private foundations, sometimes supported by public authorities. A shift in approach is urgently needed.
Our new research brief (in French), ‘Le droit à l’alimentation dans le canton de Vaud : pour une transition juste vers des systèmes alimentaires durables‘ discusses these issues.
From charity and food aid to the right to food and sustainable food systems
In 2024, four years after the onset of the Covid-19 crisis and inspired by the example of the inclusion of the right to food in the Geneva Constitution in 2023, the parliament of the Canton of Vaud (Grand Conseil) proposed enshrining the right to food in the Cantonal Constitution.
Since 2023, similar initiatives have been proposed at the federal level in Switzerland, in France, at the Council of Europe, and at the Committee on World Food Security in Rome.
Publications with key recommendations
The Geneva Academy has released one briefing in French on the right to food in the Canton of Vaud, co-authored by Dr. Christophe Golay and Dr. Emilia Richard.
‘The aim of this publication is to present the definition of the right to food and the obligations to respect, protect, and fulfill this right, without discrimination, as enshrined in the ICESCR ratified by Switzerland. To achieve this, we have drawn on international law definitions developed over the past 20 years. This publication also highlights laws, strategies, and policies at federal, cantonal, and municipal levels that either promote or hinder the right to food’s implementation. Civil society initiatives advocating the right to food are also showcased. Finally, we put forward recommendations to ensure that the Canton and municipalities of Vaud respect, protect, and fulfill the right to food without discrimination, and promote a just transition toward sustainable food systems,’ explains Dr. Christophe Golay, Senior Research Fellow at the Geneva Academy.
END of projeCt on the right to food in Europe
This publication puts an end to our project on the right to food in Europe, which started in 2022, in partnership with Mater Fondazione, FIAN Switzerland and Fondation Leenaards. FIAN Switzerland will continue to work on this topic, with Dr. Christophe Golay becoming FIAN’s new Director in January 2026.