Right to food, water and nutrition

An estimated two billion people around the world do not have regular access to safe, nutritious, and sufficient food. Around 25% of the global population do not have access to clean water, and 1.5 billion people do not have access to adequate sanitation, such as private toilets or latrines.

Conflict and climate change are causing food insecurity to increase year on year. We are now experiencing a global hunger crisis, with countries in East Africa teetering on the brink of famine. We need to act today to prevent thousands of people from dying.

What is CARE International doing to improve food, water, and nutrition security?

CARE supports people to produce more healthy food, have better access to water and sanitation, and improve their nutrition. This includes small-scale food producers, women and girls living in water scarcity or water stressed areas, and refugees and internally displaced people.

Our work in food and water systems adheres to the principles of sustainability, productivity, equity, and resilience (SuPER):

• Sustainable: Grounded in healthy ecosystems, stable and enduring institutions, and sustainable financing.
• Productive: Increasing small-scale farmer production and profits, earned through increased returns on investment, results in nutritionally balanced diets, and is water smart and climate resilient.
• Equitable: Enables realisation of rights, opportunities, resources, and rewards for marginalised people, with particular focus on the needs of women.
• Resilient: Allows individuals, families, communities, and systems to be able to withstand shocks and stresses, including climate impacts and other risks and to transform their lives and escape poverty.