The United Nations (UN) recently held a historic vote on whether access to food should be recognized as a fundamental right. The outcome of this vote, which took place in the UN General Assembly, has sparked considerable global debate. With countries taking sides on this critical issue, the world watched as the UN decided to acknowledge the right to food as a fundamental human right.
The vote saw a diverse range of positions taken by UN member states, reflecting their distinct political, social, and economic circumstances. Here is a breakdown of how different countries voted:
| Country | Vote |
|---|---|
| 🇺🇸 USA | Against ❌ |
| 🇮🇱 Israel | Against ❌ |
| 🇨🇩 DR Congo | Did not vote⚠️ |
| 🇨🇬 Congo | Did not vote⚠️ |
| 🇩🇲 Dominica | Did not vote⚠️ |
| 🇸🇹 São Tomé and Principe | Did not vote⚠️ |
| 🇹🇻 Tuvalu | Did not vote⚠️ |
| 🇧🇷 Brazil | In favor ✅ |
| 🇦🇫 Afghanistan | In favor ✅ |
| 🇦🇱 Albania | In favor ✅ |
| 🇩🇿 Algeria | In favor ✅ |
| 🇦🇷 Argentina | In favor ✅ |
| 🇦🇲 Armenia | In favor ✅ |
| 🇦🇺 Australia | In favor ✅ |
| 🇦🇹 Austria | In favor ✅ |
| 🇦🇿 Azerbaijan | In favor ✅ |
| 🇧🇩 Bangladesh | In favor ✅ |
| 🇧🇾 Belarus | In favor ✅ |
| 🇧🇪 Belgium | In favor ✅ |
| 🇧🇦 Bosnia & Herzegovina | In favor ✅ |
| 🇧🇬 Bulgaria | In favor ✅ |
| 🇨🇦 Canada | In favor ✅ |
| 🇰🇭 Cambodia | In favor ✅ |
| 🇨🇱 Chile | In favor ✅ |
| 🇨🇳 China | In favor ✅ |
| 🇨🇴 Colombia | In favor ✅ |
| 🇭🇷 Croatia | In favor ✅ |
| 🇨🇺 Cuba | In favor ✅ |
| 🇨🇾 Cyprus | In favor ✅ |
| 🇨🇿 Czechia | In favor ✅ |
| 🇩🇰 Denmark | In favor ✅ |
| 🇪🇬 Egypt | In favor ✅ |
| 🇪🇪 Estonia | In favor ✅ |
| 🇫🇮 Finland | In favor ✅ |
| 🇫🇷 France | In favor ✅ |
| 🇬🇪 Georgia | In favor ✅ |
| 🇩🇪 Germany | In favor ✅ |
| 🇬🇭 Ghana | In favor ✅ |
| 🇬🇷 Greece | In favor ✅ |
| 🇭🇺 Hungary | In favor ✅ |
| 🇮🇸 Iceland | In favor ✅ |
| 🇮🇳 India | In favor ✅ |
| 🇮🇩 Indonesia | In favor ✅ |
| 🇮🇷 Iran | In favor ✅ |
| 🇮🇪 Ireland | In favor ✅ |
| 🇮🇹 Italy | In favor ✅ |
| 🇯🇵 Japan | In favor ✅ |
| 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan | In favor ✅ |
| 🇰🇼 Kuwait | In favor ✅ |
| 🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan | In favor ✅ |
| 🇱🇻 Latvia | In favor ✅ |
| 🇱🇹 Lithuania | In favor ✅ |
| 🇱🇺 Luxembourg | In favor ✅ |
| 🇲🇾 Malaysia | In favor ✅ |
| 🇲🇻 Maldives | In favor ✅ |
| 🇲🇽 Mexico | In favor ✅ |
| 🇳🇱 Netherlands | In favor ✅ |
| 🇳🇿 New Zealand | In favor ✅ |
| 🇳🇪 Niger | In favor ✅ |
| 🇳🇬 Nigeria | In favor ✅ |
| 🇰🇵 North Korea | In favor ✅ |
| 🇲🇰 North Macedonia | In favor ✅ |
| 🇳🇴 Norway | In favor ✅ |
| 🇴🇲 Oman | In favor ✅ |
| 🇵🇰 Pakistan | In favor ✅ |
| 🇵🇾 Paraguay | In favor ✅ |
| 🇵🇪 Peru | In favor ✅ |
| 🇵🇭 Philippines | In favor ✅ |
| 🇵🇱 Poland | In favor ✅ |
| 🇵🇹 Portugal | In favor ✅ |
| 🇶🇦 Qatar | In favor ✅ |
| 🇷🇴 Romania | In favor ✅ |
| 🇷🇺 Russia | In favor ✅ |
| 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | In favor ✅ |
| 🇷🇸 Serbia | In favor ✅ |
| 🇸🇰 Slovakia | In favor ✅ |
| 🇸🇮 Slovenia | In favor ✅ |
| 🇿🇦 South Africa | In favor ✅ |
| 🇰🇷 South Korea | In favor ✅ |
| 🇪🇸 Spain | In favor ✅ |
| 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka | In favor ✅ |
| 🇸🇪 Sweden | In favor ✅ |
| 🇨🇭 Switzerland | In favor ✅ |
| 🇸🇾 Syria | In favor ✅ |
| 🇹🇼 Taiwan | In favor ✅ |
| 🇹🇭 Thailand | In favor ✅ |
| 🇹🇷 Türkiye | In favor ✅ |
| 🇦🇪 UAE | In favor ✅ |
| 🇬🇧 UK | In favor ✅ |
| 🇺🇦 Ukraine | In favor ✅ |
| 🇻🇪 Venezuela | In favor ✅ |
| 🇻🇳 Vietnam | In favor ✅ |
The vote in favor of recognizing the right to food as a fundamental human right represents a significant step forward in the global effort to combat hunger and ensure food security for all. However, the countries that voted against or abstained from voting may have concerns related to the practical implementation and potential consequences of such a declaration.
This UN vote highlights the importance of addressing food security as a pressing global issue. The world’s nations will now need to work together to translate this declaration into concrete actions that ensure everyone has access to adequate and nutritious food, regardless of their economic or social status.
