RIGHT TO FOOD CAMPAIGN SECRETARIAT

APPEAL FOR DONATION OF A COMPUTER (DESKTOP/LAPTOP)

The "Right to Food Campaign" has a small secretariat in Delhi. The work of the
Secretariat is funded from individual donations in rupees with no strings
attached. At the moment the secretariat is managed by Devika Lal and Trilochan
Pandey, while a number of volunteers help the core team.

The Secretariat owns one computer and basic office furniture (two tables and one
chair). There is an urgent need for a new computer, as the present one is not
functioning properly. Since the Secretariat requires some basic equipment to
fulfill its mandate we request you to consider donating a new computer.
Alternatively, you are welcome to donate some money for the purchase of a
computer.

How to Donate:

Write a cheque/draft in favour of "Right to food campaign, secretariat" payable
at New Delhi and send it to Right to Food Campaign Secretariat, 5 A Jungi House,
New Delhi 110049. You can contact us at 011-26499563.

You can buy a latest configured computer at your convenience and call us. We
shall come and pick it up. Else you can contact any dealer and ask them to
deliver it to us at the address mentioned.

Basic information about the Right to Food Campaign is given in the attached
note. For further details, see the campaign website (www.righttofoodindia.org).

With thanks and warm regards,

Arundhati Dhuru Jean Dreze Anuradha Talwar Kavita Srivastava Gautam Modi
(On behalf of the Secretariat, Right to Food Campaign)


ABOUT THE RIGHT TO FOOD CAMPAIGN

Foundation statement: The "Right to Food Campaign" is an informal network of
organizations and individuals committed to the realization of the right to food
in India. We consider that everyone has a fundamental right to be free from
hunger and under nutrition. Realizing this right requires not only equitable and
sustainable food systems, but also entitlements relating to livelihood security
such as the right to work, land reform and social security. We consider that the
primary responsibility for guaranteeing these entitlements rests with the state.
Lack of financial resources cannot be accepted as an excuse for abdicating this
responsibility. In the present context, where people's basic needs are not a
political priority, state intervention itself depends on effective popular
organization. We are committed to fostering this process through all democratic
means.

How it happened: The campaign began with a writ petition submitted to the
Supreme Court in April 2001 by People's Union for Civil Liberties, Rajasthan.
This petition led to a prolonged "public interest litigation" (PUCL vs Union of
India and Others, Writ Petition [Civil] 196 of 2001). Supreme Court hearings
have been held at regular intervals, and "interim orders" have been issued from
time to time. However, it soon became clear that the legal process would not go
very far on its own. This motivated the effort to build a larger public campaign
for the right to food.

Major achievements of the campaign so far include:
Cooked mid-day meals in all primary schools. Today, more than 100 million
children get a cooked meal at school as a result of the campaign, and of the
public interest litigation initiated by the People's Union for Civil Liberties
(PUCL) in April 2001.
Sustained progress towards universalization of the Integrated Child Development
Services (ICDS). This involves ensuring that every hamlet has an anganwadi
(child care centre), and that every child under the age of six years receives
basic health, nutrition and education services.
Massive expansion of Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY), a programme of food-based
social security for destitute households. Today, 20 million destitute
households are entitled to 35 kgs of grain every month under AAY.

The campaign was also actively involved in the process that led to the enactment
of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) in 2005. The Act is
already generating employment for more than 3 million rural workers on an
average day.

Details of the campaign and its activities are posted regularly on the campaign
website (www.righttofoodindia.org).