BackgroundIn developing countries like Uganda, the human right to adequate food (RtAF) is inextricably linked to access to land for households to feed themselves directly through production or means for its procurement. Whether RtAF is enjoyed among Ugandan land evictees, is unknown. We therefore explored this among land evictees (rights-holders) in Wakiso and Mpigi districts in rural Central Uganda. We assessed food accessibility and related coping strategies, diet quality and nutritional status of children 6–59 months old, and their caregivers. Effectiveness of the complaint and redress mechanisms in addressing RtAF violations was also explored.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, quantitative data was collected using a structured questionnaire, with food security and nutritional assessment methods from a total of 215 land evictees including 187 children aged 6–59 months. Qualitative data was collected by reviewing selected national and international documents on the RtAF and key informant interviews with 15 purposively sampled duty-bearers. These included individuals or representatives of the Uganda Human Rights Commission, Resident District Commissioner, Sub-county Chiefs, and local Council leaders.ResultsWe found that 78% of land evictees had insufficient access to food while 69.4% had consumed a less diversified diet. A majority of evictees (85.2%) relied on borrowing food or help from others to cope with food shortages. Of the 187 children assessed, 9.6% were wasted, 18.2% were underweight and 34.2% were stunted. Small, but significant associations, were found between food accessibility, diet quality, food insecurity coping strategies; and the nutritional status of evictees. We observed that administrative, quasi-judicial and judicial mechanisms to provide adequate legal remedies regarding violations of the RtAF among evictees in Uganda are in place, but not effective in doing so.ConclusionLand eviction without adequate legal remedies is a contributor to food insecurity and undernutrition in rural Central Uganda. It is essential that the Government strengthens and enforces the policy and legal environment to ensure adequate and timely compensation of evictees in order to reduce their vulnerability to food insecurity.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s12914-018-0162-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Background The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 2.2 calls for end to all forms of malnutrition. This might be derailed due to persistent landslide disasters in low-income countries like Uganda. Objectives The prevalence of malnutrition and the impact of seasonal variations and associated factors were assessed among children 6–59 months in the landslide-affected households in Bududa District, Eastern Uganda. Methods A prospective cohort study using a two-stage simple random technique was applied to select 422 households including 392 children during May-August (food-plenty season) 2019. After six months, in January-March (food-poor season) 2020, 388 households and 366 children were assessed. Socio-economic- and demographic data were collected using structured questionnaires. Child malnutrition outcomes were defined according to WHO criteria. Factors associated with malnutrition outcomes were identified by bivariate and multivariate logistic regression. Results Stunting, underweight, wasting and overweight prevalence was 37.7%, 13.3%, 3.6% and 4.3%, respectively, in food-plenty season and 42.6%, 14.2%, 2.1% and 2.7%, respectively, in food-poor season. Residing in the landslide affected sub-county increased the odds for stunting (adjusted odds ratio (aOR)1.68, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.08, 2.59; P = 0.025) and underweight (aOR = 4.25, 95% CI: 1.10, 15.36; P = 0.032) for children in food-plenty season. Child's age, sex, breastfeeding status, a non-improved drinking water source, migration of any household member and parents’ education, were significant risk factors in food-plenty season. In food-poor season, parent's education status, loss of any household member, child's sex and child's age were significant risk factors. Conclusions Stunting and underweight were more prevalent in food-poor season while wasting and overweight were more prevalent in food-plenty season. With exception of child age, child sex and parents’ education, child malnutrition risk factors differed between food-plenty and food-poor season. There is need to address seasonality factors in program intervention targeting children under-five years in landslide-prone areas.

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We assessed food insecurity, dietary diversity and the right to adequate food among households in communities in Eastern Uganda that were affected by major landslides in 2010 and 2018. A prospective cohort study was applied to select 422 households during May-August (the food-plenty season) of 2019. In January-March (the food-poor season) of 2020, 388 households were re-assessed. Socio-demographic, food security, dietary diversity and right to adequate food data were collected using structured questionnaires. Four focus groups discussions and key informant interviews with 10 purposively sampled duty-bearers explored issues of food insecurity, dietary and the right to adequate food. The affected households had significantly higher mean (SE) food insecurity scores than controls, both during the food plenty season: 15.3 (0.5) vs. 10.8 (0.5), and during food-poor season: 15.9 (0.4) vs. 12.5 (0.0). The affected households had significantly lower mean (SE) dietary diversity scores than controls during the food plenty season: 5.4 (0.2) vs. 7.5 (0.2) and during the food poor season: 5.2 (0.2) vs. 7.3 (0.1). Multivariate analyses showed that the disaster event, education and main source of livelihood, were significantly associated with household food security and dietary diversity during the food-plenty season whereas during the food-poor season, the disaster event and education were associated with household food security and dietary diversity. During both food seasons, the majority of affected and control households reported to have consumed unsafe food. Cash-handout was the most preferred for ensuring the right to adequate food. Comprehension and awareness of human rights principles and state obligations were low. The severity of food-insecurity and dietary diversity differed significantly between the affected and control households during both food seasons. Moreover, the right to adequate food of landslide victims faced challenges to its realization. There is need for policy and planning frameworks that cater for seasonal variations, disaster effects and right to adequate food in order to reduce landslide victims’ vulnerability to food insecurity and poor dietary diversity. In the long-term, education and income diversification program interventions need to be integrated into disaster recovery programs since they are central in enhancing the resilience of rural livelihoods to shocks and stressors on the food system.