Special Rapporteur on the right to food to visit Bolivia

Geneva, 27 April

The Special Rapporteur on the right to food, Mr. Jean Ziegler, will visit Bolivia on a fact-finding mission from 29 April to 6 May 2007.

The purpose of this visit will be to learn from the very encouraging developments concerning the realization of the right to food that are currently taking place in Bolivia and gather information relevant to the protection and promotion of this right. In this regard, the Special Rapporteur will examine existing national policies and programmes established by the Government to facilitate the availability of and access to food and water, recent national jurisprudence on the right to food. He will also gather information on the activities of civil society organizations and international community complementing the efforts of the Government for the realization of the right to food.

In Bolivia the expert will meet with relevant government officials, including His Excellency the President, members of the UN Country Team and the diplomatic community, and representatives of civil society.
The expert will submit a preliminary report on his mission to the fifth session of the Human Rights Council to be held in June 2007 and a comprehensive report on his findings, including a list of recommendations, to be presented subsequently to the Council.