MAME4530 Nutrition and Human Rights Course description

No course requirements.

Upon completion of the course the student will have obtained the following learning outcomes, defined as knowledge, skills and general competencies:

Knowledge

The student

• has advanced knowledge about the historical development of the international human rights system and the right to food "movement".
• has advanced knowledge about the key international human rights instruments, institutions, mechanisms and procedures relevant to economic, social and cultural rights, especially those pertaining to food, nutrition and health.
• has advanced knowledge about the content of the right to adequate food and the right to health and corresponding obligations of the state in promoting and protecting such rights.
• has thorough knowledge of the roles and responsibilities of non-state actors (civil society; international organizations; private sector) in what regards the protection, promotion and fulfilment of such rights.
• has thorough knowledge of important tools and critical issues for implementing the right to adequate food in a national context, as well as methods for monitoring and evaluation of human rights implementation.

Skills

The student

• can analyse and discuss the value-added of a human rights based approach to assessment, analysis and action, both nationally and internationally.
• can analyse and discuss the role of the right to food in a globalizing world, including contemporary issues such as economic globalization; the role of businesses and their impact on human rights; climate change; and food insecurity.
• can analyse and discuss the links between good/democratic governance and the right to food.
• can analyse and discuss the human rights dimensions of international development targets, such as the Millennium Development Goals and the Sustainable Development Goals.
• can analyse country situations, particular groups and specific themes where human rights perspectives to adequate food have been applied.

General competencies

The student

• can apply the knowledge and skills on human rights in project assessment, implementation and evaluation using the relevant terminology, key concepts and principles.

The course provides an overview of the right to adequate food in the context of the promotion and protection of the international human rights. The course focuses especially on the relevance of human rights for food security, nutrition and health. The course further discusses the relationships between right-holders and duty-bearers, and especially obligations of the State in respecting, protecting and fulfilling the right to adequate food and nutrition-related health for all. The opportunities, constraints and future challenges to applying a rights-based approach to food and nutrition in development in contemporary globalization will be discussed, and how this can be translated into action in selected countries, and by international institutions.

All examination support materials are permitted. However, sources must be stated in accordance with applicable rules for source references.

Letter grading A-F.

Both exams are assessed by an internal and an external examiner.

Katriina Byström

A graded scale from A to F where A to E represents passes and F represents a fail.

Internal and external examiner