10 Organisations Fighting for Food Security

Whether it is ensuring citizens’ right to safe food or advocating for those growing and processing our food, civil society organisations play an important role in moving towards a more equitable and fair way of producing and consuming food. Here are 10 international organisations that address diverse human rights and food issues.

La 72, Hogar-Refugio para Personas Migrantes 

Mexican organization La 72, Hogar-Refugio para Personas Migrantes (The 72, Home - Refuge For Migrant People) promotes the life, dignity and human rights of refugees by offering meals, shelter and necessary services to Latin American refugees traveling through Tenosique, Tabasco. This region often sees vulnerable Salvadoran, Colombian, and Honduran migrants and refugees travelling for two or more days without food on their route to seeking a better life. 

Organization for Eelam Refugees Rehabilitation (OfERR Ceylon)

OfERR Ceylon facilitates the transition for Sri Lankan refugees back into an active and secure role in society following their return after the civil war. With the help of local community organizations and government officials OfERR Ceylon provides necessary inputs such as livestock (cattle, goats and poultry), paddy seeds, cashew plants, water pumps, delivery pipes, fencing materials, sprayers, fishing nets and gear, etc. to enable newly settled families to begin farming again and secure an income.

Compassiva

Compassiva is a Brazilian social organization that serves children, women and refugees adjusting to life in São Paulo, Brazil. Their Levando Ajuda Ao Refugiado (Taking Aid to Refugees) program assists Syrian refugees adaptation and integration to Brazilian society by helping them to secure four basic needs: health, food, housing, and social integration. By providing food basket donations and opportunities for employment and social integration, Compassiva empowers Syrian refugees to gain a secure food future.

Action Against Hunger

Action Against Hunger is an international humanitarian organisation working across nearly 50 countries to take action against the causes and effects of hunger. They train small-scale farmers, enable cash-for-work programmes, set up research to ensure the scalability and sustainability of projects, and provide emergency aid to communities hit by disaster.

Forest Peoples Programme

Forest Peoples Programme works with Indigeneous people residing in forests or on natural lands to secure rights to their lands and their livelihoods. They work alongside more than 60 partner organisations representing Indigenous peoples and remote communities. FPP promotes a vision of how forests should be managed while respecting human rights and native knowledge and cultures.

International Land Coalition 

The International Land Coalition works to ensure the rights of marginalised individuals in the food system. Their mission is to promote equitable access to land through advocacy, dialogue, knowledge sharing, and capacity building. They are committed to building stronger small-scale farming systems, protecting land rights defenders, fighting for equal land rights for women, and offering transparent and accessible information to all actors in supply chains. 

La Via Campesina

La Via Campesina unites millions of peasants, small and medium size farmers, landless people, rural women and youth, Indigenous people, migrants and agricultural workers from around the world to defend rights to food sovereignty and to promote it as a means to social justice and dignity. They oppose corporate driven agriculture that harms social relations and nature.

Human Rights at Sea

Human Rights At Sea raises international awareness of human rights abuses at sea and is committed to delivering social justice through legal and policy development. Their work includes (but is not limited to) advocacy for the human rights of fishers and fishing communities around the world, including the right to fair wages, humane working conditions, and employer accountability. 

FIAN International 

FIAN International advocates for the right to food and nutrition by supporting grassroots communities and movements. Through national chapters and networks, FIAN is active in over 50 countries. Their work includes exposing social injustice in our food systems and fighting for fair access to food.

SOMO  

SOMO (Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations) is an international non-profit knowledge centre conducting research on multinational corporations, including those active in the food and agriculture sectors. Paying special attention to the role of supermarkets in the food supply chain, SOMO provides advice on issues such as unfair trading practices, right to food, land conflict, and sustainability certification.