Statement by India at the 37th Session of the Human Rights Council (26th February 2018 to 23rd March 2018) on Agenda Item-3: Clustered Interactive Dialogue with the SR on environment and the SR on food delivered by Sh. Animesh Choudhury, Second Secretary. [05th March 2018, Palais des Nations, Geneva]

Thank you Mr. Vice-President,

   My delegation would like to thank the Special Rapporteur on the issue of human rights obligations relating to the enjoyment of a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment and the SR on the right to food for their detailed reports.

2. The report on the right to food mentions an alarming trend where the number of people affected by hunger in the world, particularly in natural disaster and conflict situations, has substantially increased since 2015. India believes that relief funding to deal with these situations should be geared towards development of a sustainable food security ecosystem, thereby improving the resilience and effectiveness of the relief effort in times of calamities.

3. Para 72 of the same report mentions ‘state’s arbitrary refusal to receive humanitarian assistance should be treated as violation of international human rights law’. India believes that the phrase ‘arbitrary refusal’ needs to be defined in clearer terms to ensure a balance between adequate external humanitarian assistance in cases of calamity and the respect for sovereignty of a State.

4. As regards the recommendation of the SR to consider negotiation of a multilateral treaty to respond effectively to disaster situations, India is of the view that further deliberation on the subject would be essential.

5. India has in recent years launched new programmes to focus on priorities of employment, economic growth, food, water, energy, disaster resilience and poverty alleviation. The goals of these schemes have been aligned with SDGs. The Government of India’ is committed to tackle pollution and other environment related health hazards.

6. Today, India is self-sufficient in food grain production and is also one of the major exporters of quality agricultural products. However, India realises that there remain a number of challenges to be overcome for sustainable and equitable development and is working in that direction.

7. India remains committed to making all efforts towards all-round sustainable development in line with SDG 2030 and submitted its voluntary National Review Report on the implementation of the SDGs under the 2030 Agenda at the High Level Political Forum of the ECOSOC at the United Nations in New York in July 2017.

Thank You Mr. Vice-President.