This seminar, organised and hosted by the Tobacco Control Research Group (TCRG), aims to discuss the issues of hunger, malnutrition and poverty in the Global South and how illicit economies and economies of unhealthy commodities have exacerbated the poverty traps in several countries. We will discuss some of the challenges faced by activists when counteracting powerful corporate actors, and share some recommendations on how these might be overcome. We will hear from activists promoting human rights and discuss how academics reaching unhealthy commodity corporations can support activists' work to achieve significant changes.
About the seminar
- Introduction, Angela Carriedo
- The right to food, poverty traps and illicit economies in Colombia, Carolina Mejía
- Commentary, Hernando Salcedo
- Commentary, Lonjezo Masikini
- Question and Answers, led by Regina Kieth
How to take part
This seminar will be hosted on Zoom. You will need to have your own zoom account to access - signing up is free. Once you have a zoom account you can join the event using the link below.
About the speakers
Carolina Mejía is a registered Colombian dietitian with a MA in Human Rights and Multi-level Governance, from the Universita degli Studi di Padova. She has experience in leading projects and programs aimed to improve food security, nutrition, public health, sustainable development, and migration in Colombia and in the EU. Carolina has research experience in the agri-food and zero waste strategies regulation and corporate strategies.
Hernando Salcedo Fidalgo is Associate Researcher at the Pragmatic and Reflexive Sociology Group of the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales de Paris. Currently he is the coordinator of the Secretariat of the Civil Society and Indigenous People’s Mechanism for relations with UN Committee on World Food Security (CFS).
He was the coordinator of the FIAN Colombia Nutrition Branch, a lead organization in advocacy actions various international spaces of human rights and supports the monitoring of public policy food and governance natural resources in the different territories of Colombia. Recently Hernando became the coordinator of the Civil Society and Indigenous People Mechanism at the Committee of Food Security of the UN.
Lonjezo Masikini is currently pursuing a PhD at the University of Bath, United Kingdom, and has 11 years' experience as a MEAL Expert for local and international NGOs. He holds a MSc in Development Studies from the University of East Anglia. His main areas of interest include Institution and Policy Analysis; Project Cycle (Design, Implementation, Monitoring, and Evaluation); Political Economy; Livelihood & Diversification; Global Value Chains.
Regina Kieth has 35 years of experience of working, strengthening and managing maternal and child health services and systems. She has an extensive network and particular strong skills in collaboration, bringing together NGOs and other key stakeholders to work with WHO, UNICEF and Global Health Partnerships including the Global Fund to Fight AIDS Tb and Malaria (GFATM), GAVI (Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisations) and the PMNCH (Partnership for Maternal Newborn & Child Health).
Angela Carriedo is currently a Research Fellow at the Department of Health working on a project aiming to explore the use of tools to protect the policy space of tobacco control and food policy from food industry interference. Currently, she is working on several projects related to public-private partnerships, governance and the influence of non-state actors on the nutrition policymaking. She has a PhD in Public Health and Policy at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, where she also obtained her MSc in Public Health Nutrition. She currently serves as part of the World Public Health Nutrition Association Executive Committee; and is part of the organising committee of the GECI-Network (Governance, Ethics and Conflict of Interest Network).