The Right to Food for Refugees: What the Law Says and What Needs to Change

Abstract

Every person, regardless of where they were born or what country they live in, has the right to food. This is not a new idea; it has been written into international law for decades. Yet for millions of refugees living in camps like Kakuma in Kenya, this right remains out of reach. This paper looks at the laws that protect refugees' right to food, how those laws apply in Kenya, and why there is still a big gap between what the law promises and what refugees actually experience. It also offers clear, practical recommendations to United Nations agencies on how to close this gap and make the right to food a lived reality for all refugees.