ABSTRACT
Human rights should be viewed as dynamic and be interpreted and updated from time to time. This essay reviews the current situation regarding young children’s right to good nutrition and suggests steps for further development. There are many issues that demand attention, including some that result from the changing landscape of children’s nutrition. To illustrate, since the Convention on the Rights of the Child came into force in 1989, infant formula marketing and use have expanded globally. We can expect sharply increasing use and possibly commercialisation of human milk through milk banks and wet-nursing. Questionable innovations, such as highly processed and overly sweetened foods designed for children, can put their health at risk. Positive innovations, such as better nutrition education, can fail to reach families that need them most. To organise a comprehensive approach to addressing the issues, this essay calls on the countries of the world to negotiate a new Optional Protocol on Children’s Nutrition, to be linked to the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
