Food Is a Human Right: What Food Insecurity Means for Hamilton, South Lanarkshire
- Mandy Burrell
- 1 day ago
- 5 min read
Today is Human Rights Day, a day when we're invited to look again at what human dignity really means. For many people in Hamilton and across South Lanarkshire, that question starts with something very basic.
Can I afford enough food this week?
But basic necessities like food, shelter, and dignity aren't luxuries. They're rights.
Food is a human right, not a luxury
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights says that everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for their health and wellbeing, including food.
International law goes further. The UN’s main human-rights treaty on living standards, recognises both the right to adequate food and “the fundamental right of everyone to be free from hunger”.
The Scottish Human Rights Commission explains that the right to food is not just about having some food. It is about regular access to sufficient, safe, nutritious and culturally appropriate food, in ways that preserve people’s dignity.
So when people in our community are skipping meals, relying on food banks or worrying that food will run out, that’s not just a social problem. It is a human-rights issue.
The reality of food insecurity in our community
Scotland is a wealthy country, but food insecurity is increasing. According to the Scottish Health Survey 14% of Scottish adults experienced food insecurity in 2023, the highest level since records began in 2017. That's up from just 9% in 2021.
Research shows that approximately 280,000 Scottish households struggled to feed themselves in 2022-23, marking a 40% increase since 2020-21.
Food insecurity is driven primarily by lack of income, low pay, insecure work and problems with the social security system and can also be linked to climate change, inflation and Brexit-related supply chain issues, with the share of food secure households falling between 2019–20 and 2022–23.
Food banks are one of the clearest signs of this pressure. The Trussell Trust reports that its network of food banks in Scotland distributed 262,400 emergency food parcels in 2023/24, similar to the record levels of the year before.
What this looks like in Hamilton and South Lanarkshire
In Hamilton, we can see food insecurity close to home. Hamilton District Foodbank, part of the Trussell Trust network, has been supporting local people in crisis since 2013. They provided 9,429 three-day emergency food supplies to people in crisis last year.
National partners have highlighted Hamilton as one of the food banks facing some of the greatest demand for emergency food in the UK.
Across South Lanarkshire more widely, foodbank demand has continued to rise, with 11,137 households seeking help and 22,090 people fed through emergency parcels.
Food poverty is clearly part of everyday life in Hamilton and across South Lanarkshire.
Who's being left behind?
Food insecurity doesn't affect everyone equally. Research shows that people living in Scotland's most deprived areas are hardest hit, with 61% reporting they've had to cut down on food purchases.
Young people, single parents, and disabled people face the greatest challenges where nearly half of households experiencing food insecurity include a disabled person, and working-age adults are more likely to turn to food banks than pensioners.
Food insecurity takes a devastating toll. When families can't afford nutritious food, health suffers with food insecurity being linked to poor nutritional intake, with serious implications for both physical and mental health.
Why this is a human-rights issue, not just about charity
It’s easy to see food insecurity only in terms of charity: generous people donating tins to food banks, volunteers sorting parcels, local supermarkets hosting collection points. That compassion matters enormously.
But a human-rights approach asks a deeper question.
Why are so many people in a rich country unable to afford food in the first place?
Making sure social security and wages are enough for people to buy food.
Regulating markets so that basic food is available and affordable.
Ensuring emergency support is there when people fall through the cracks.
The Scottish Human Rights Commission has warned recently that essential rights, including the right to an adequate standard of living, are out of reach for many people in Scotland who are struggling to afford food, fuel and housing.
So while food banks save lives, they are also a sign that our human-rights obligations are not being fully met.
Real change means ensuring everyone has enough money to afford food and other essentials. It means protecting social security, creating secure jobs with fair wages, and making sure affordable housing is available to all. The Good Food Nations (Scotland) Act 2022 represents a step forward, committing Scotland to a human rights approach to food, but we still have a long way to go.
What we can do in Hamilton
Support local food solidarity
Donate food, money or time to Hamilton District Foodbank or other community food projects.
Ask what items are most needed before donating.
Help yourself and others connect with support
Share information about South Lanarkshire Council’s Worried about food page and helpline with anyone who might be struggling.
Point people towards advice services like ours, at Hamilton Citizens Advice we can help to maximise income and refer to food banks.
Beyond emergency food, organisations like Fairhill Community Food Co-op offer alternatives that help people afford fresh, healthy food without the stigma still often associated with food banks.
Talk about food as a right, not a favour
When you discuss food banks, frame them as a temporary safety net, not the solution. When we frame food insecurity as a human rights issue, we shift the conversation from individual failings to systemic problems that require collective solutions. We recognise that in a wealthy country like Scotland, nobody should have to choose between eating and heating or skip meals so their children can eat.
Engage with politicians and policy
Contact your local councillors, MSPs and MP to say you support building the right to food into Scots law, as proposed in work around a new Human Rights Bill for Scotland.
Ask what they are doing to reduce reliance on food banks in South Lanarkshire.
Build community
Join or start local initiatives like community meals, growing projects and cooking groups which give people access to good food in welcoming, stigma-free spaces.
A Human Rights Day message
On Human Rights Day, recognising food as a human right helps us see the bigger picture. It reminds us that no one in South Lanarkshire should have to rely on charity just to eat.
Change starts with awareness. Talk about food insecurity without judgment. Support local food organisations through donations or volunteering. Advocate for policies that ensure everyone has a sufficient income.
On this Human Rights Day, let's commit to building a Hamilton where everyone can afford to eat well, where food banks are relics of the past, and where the right to food is a reality for all.