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Effects of pesticides on the right to food 2017, para. 23
- Paragraph text
- Traditional food sources of indigenous peoples are regularly found to contain high levels of pesticides. This is also true in the Arctic, because chemicals travel northward through long-range environmental transport in wind and water, bioaccumulating and biomagnifying in traditional foods such as marine mammals and fish. Indigenous peoples in the Arctic are found to have hazardous pesticides in their bodies that were never used near their communities, and suffer from above average rates of cancer and other diseases.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right to food
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Food & Nutrition
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Effects of pesticides on the right to food 2017, para. 47
- Paragraph text
- Furthermore, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the International Convention on the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families and other international human rights instruments all contain provisions that require States to provide adequate protection, information and remedies in the context of pesticide use.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right to food
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Food & Nutrition
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Families
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Effects of pesticides on the right to food 2017, para. 22
- Paragraph text
- In various countries, agribusinesses have taken over lands belonging to indigenous and minority communities and instituted pesticide-dependent intensive agriculture. As a result, communities may be forced to live in marginal situations alongside such farms, regularly exposing them to pesticide drift.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right to food
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Food & Nutrition
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Analysis of the impacts of international investment agreements on the rights of indigenous peoples 2016, para. 93b
- Paragraph text
- In accordance with the recommendations of the Special Rapporteur in her 2015 report to the General Assembly (A/70/301): (b) Human rights impact assessments should be conducted of all trade and investment agreements, following the impact assessments carried out as part of the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights developed by the Special Rapporteur on the right to food.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Food & Nutrition
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Access to justice and the right to food: the way forward 2015, para. 51
- Paragraph text
- There are a number of cases involving TNCs and right to food violations at the domestic level; however, in many of these cases, claims are either based on tort or criminal law rather than human rights legislation, or decisions focus on the involvement of the Government in the violation of rights, and not the company. The case against Nigeria submitted through the African Commission on Human Rights is an example thereof. Another example is the case brought to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights on behalf of indigenous Guarani people living in the Oriente region in Ecuador against the oil exploitation activities by their own Government and Texaco.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right to food
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Food & Nutrition
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Human rights of internally displaced persons in the context of the Post-2015 development agenda 2015, para. 54
- Paragraph text
- During his joint visit to the Central African Republic in February 2015, the Special Rapporteur deplored the living conditions of nearly 500 members of the Peulh minority group, trapped in an enclave in Yaloke. According to reports, the food being distributed in Yaloke does not meet the cultural and nutritional needs of the Peulh minority group. The Peulh, living largely on a diet of beef and milk from cattle, are not used to the rice and beans that humanitarian agencies distribute. As of December 2014, over 40 Peulh had died from malnutrition and other diseases, the majority of them children.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Food & Nutrition
- Health
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Access to justice and the right to food: the way forward 2015, para. 41
- Paragraph text
- Development-induced displacement is an increasingly widespread phenomenon with devastating impact. An estimated 15 million people each year are forced to relocate and resettle as a result of such interventions. Despite some of the more recent efforts to highlight land dispossession, as yet global institutions have been unable to discourage the practices and processes that undermine land rights, prevent equitable access and establish the context for large and small-scale displacements. The expanding mining sector has contributed to strong economic growth in some countries, with mining and oil concessions dramatically increasing in countries. The industry has however also generated social conflict in many States, particularly in rural areas, with mining activities coming into direct competition with small-scale agriculture. Indigenous peoples are particularly vulnerable as they are often forced to leave their land and sources of livelihood. A lack of engagement and opportunities for participation in decisions that affect their lives has left many communities in situations of dire poverty and without access to adequate food and nutrition.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right to food
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Food & Nutrition
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Movement
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Access to justice and the right to food: the way forward 2015, para. 23
- Paragraph text
- The following examples illustrate the positive role played by regional human rights mechanisms. In the case Centre for Minority Rights Development (Kenya) and Minority Rights Group International on behalf of Endorois Welfare Council v. Kenya, the Endorois, a primarily pastoralist indigenous community, were removed from their lands by the Government of Kenya to establish a wildlife reserve. The African Commission found Kenya to have violated articles 8, 14, 17, 21 and 22 of the African Charter. The Commission noted that, as a consequence of its removal, the community had been "relegated to semi-arid land", which was unsuitable for pastoralism. The ability to graze animals, a key means of subsistence for the community, had become impossible as a result of loss of their land and this threatened the community's survival.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right to food
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Food & Nutrition
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Impact of climate change on the right to food 2015, para. 32
- Paragraph text
- While more affluent countries are better able to cope with the effects of climate change, nations with a higher proportion of people living in poverty may not have access to necessary infrastructure and resources and their populations have fewer opportunities to diversify their livelihoods and reduce their dependence on agriculture. Within this group of vulnerable populations, small-scale farmers and indigenous peoples, particularly women who depend on climate-sensitive natural systems for their food and livelihoods, are expected to be particularly susceptible to the effects of climate change on their food security.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right to food
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Food & Nutrition
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Women
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Impact of climate change on the right to food 2015, para. 38
- Paragraph text
- Indigenous peoples are already among the world's most vulnerable and marginalized communities in many parts of the world owing to discriminatory policies. They are highly dependent on natural resources, with subsistence agriculture, hunting and gathering forming a core part of their livelihoods, and they often have very limited additional income from other activities. Additionally, they may face situations where the land tenure and access rights of their communities are not legally recognized.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right to food
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Food & Nutrition
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Impact of climate change on the right to food 2015, para. 76
- Paragraph text
- Agroecology is particularly beneficial and well suited to the needs of poor rural communities, as it is relatively labour intensive, most effectively practised on small plots of land and relies on locally produced inputs, thereby reducing dependence on access to external inputs and on subsidies. It is also of particular benefit to vulnerable groups such as smallholder farmers, women and indigenous peoples, owing to their reliance on local inputs and practices. The shift being advocated builds on the skills and experience of the world's small farmers. Farmers living in harsh environments in Africa, Asia and Latin America have developed traditional knowledge and skills that facilitate resilience and sustainability. One of the virtues of agroecology is that it combines local knowledge with innovative technology.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right to food
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Food & Nutrition
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Women
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Impact of climate change on the right to food 2015, para. 61
- Paragraph text
- Biofuels are biomass-derived fuels designed to replace petroleum. As they depend on soil and water, these resources may be diverted from agricultural purposes and therefore diminish impoverished communities' ability to grow the food they require. In less than a decade biofuel production has increased fivefold and has contributed to high volatility in food prices as well as increases in prices of staple foods. This is of particular concern for low-income countries reliant on international food markets. In recent years, there has been an alarming increase in the number of large-scale land deals for the purpose of producing biofuels. Forced relocations as a result of large-scale land acquisitions and long-term leases pose a particular threat to smallholder farmers and indigenous populations, especially when land rights and tenure are weak. Evidence also indicates that efficient biofuel production depends on capital-intensive farming, which favours large agricultural producers who are better connected to the markets, leaving small-scale farmers in poor countries unable to compete effectively.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right to food
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Food & Nutrition
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Access to justice and the right to food: the way forward 2015, para. 24
- Paragraph text
- In its case SERAC v. Nigeria, the African Commission held that the treatment by Nigeria of the Ogoni indigenous community violated the right to food implied in the African Charter. In their statement to the African Commission, the NGOs submitting the claim contended that: "the Nigerian government ... destroyed and threatened Ogoni food sources through a variety of means. The government ... participated in irresponsible oil development that poisoned much of the soil and water upon which Ogoni farming and fishing depended. In their raids on villages, Nigerian security forces have destroyed crops and killed farm animals. The security forces have created a state of terror and insecurity that ... made it impossible for many Ogoni villagers to return to their fields and animals. The destruction of farm lands, rivers, crops and animals created malnutrition and starvation among certain Ogoni communities."
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right to food
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Food & Nutrition
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Rights of indigenous peoples on the impact of international investment and free trade on the human rights of indigenous peoples 2015, para. 9
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur also consulted the report of the Special Rapporteur on the right to food to the Human Rights Council (A/HRC/19/59/Add.5), which provides guiding principles for Member States on ways to ensure that the trade and investment agreements they conclude are consistent with their obligations under international human rights instruments; and the report of the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health to the sixty-ninth session of the General Assembly (A/69/299), which includes analysis of the impact of investment agreements on the right to health. In addition, in 2015, 10 mandate holders expressed public concern about the impact of investment and free trade agreements on human rights.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Food & Nutrition
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Impact of climate change on the right to food 2015, para. 39
- Paragraph text
- Indigenous peoples often live in physically isolated and harsh environments and rely on fragile ecosystems that are particularly susceptible to climate change and natural disasters. Such ecosystems include tropical rainforests, arctic regions, deserts, low-lying and coastal areas, small islands, open grasslands and mountainous areas. Damage to these ecosystems threatens indigenous peoples' resource bases and traditional ways of securing food. As a result of a decline in biodiversity, traditional subsistence food is being lost in these regions, along with access to medicinal plants traditionally used to ward off pests and disease.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right to food
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Food & Nutrition
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Impact of climate change on the right to food 2015, para. 40
- Paragraph text
- The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has recognized that climate change in polar regions will affect the informal, subsistence-based economy of indigenous peoples, with changing sea ice conditions likely to reduce their ability to hunt the marine mammals that are a significant source of both food and livelihood. Similarly, indigenous peoples living in mountainous areas will suffer a depletion of food sources owing to the loss of alpine flora. Coastal erosion on Pacific islands is threatening agricultural practices while traditional cattle and goat farming is being endangered in arid regions. There is considerable concern that the impacts of climate change may overstrain indigenous and traditional peoples' capacity to cope and adapt (A/HRC/29/19).
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right to food
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Food & Nutrition
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Access to justice and the right to food: the way forward 2015, para. 60
- Paragraph text
- General comments do not establish legal obligations, but elaborate on the practical implications of those obligations. The treaty bodies, however, have legally binding powers. In February 2013, the Committee of the Rights of the Child adopted general comment No. 16 (2013) on State obligations regarding the impact of the business sector on children's rights to elaborate on the practical implications of those obligations. The Committee also noted that the existing instruments and guidance did not sufficiently address the particular situation and needs of children. The treaty bodies have also contributed to the protection of the rights of groups such as indigenous people and small-scale farmers, whose rights are routinely disregarded by foreign States and private actors based in third countries. Moreover, in recent years a number special procedure mandate holders have sent various communications to States concerning the application of extraterritorial obligations, especially in cases involving allegations of corporate abuse of human rights in host States.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right to food
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Food & Nutrition
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Rights of indigenous peoples on the impact of international investment and free trade on the human rights of indigenous peoples 2015, para. 77c
- Paragraph text
- [Concerning the reform of investment and free trade practices, the Special Rapporteur recommends that:] In accordance with the guiding principles on human rights impact assessments of all trade and investment agreements developed by the Special Rapporteur on the right to food, States undertake robust human rights impact assessments prior to signing all such treaties. Human rights assessments should routinely include specific consideration of the impact on the collective and individual rights of indigenous peoples developed through direct consultation with indigenous communities;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Food & Nutrition
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Rights of indigenous women and girls 2015, para. 22
- Paragraph text
- Food insecurity is not well-managed or understood within indigenous peoples due to a severe lack of relevant data. However it is widely recognized that indigenous people experience significant food insecurity and therefore suffer with widespread violations of their right to food. A range of interconnected and mutually reinforcing factors contributes to significant levels of food insecurity. As identified by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, loss of a culture, land and insecure access to lands, territories and natural resource have been key drivers of this phenomenon amongst indigenous communities. Like poverty, violations of the right to food affect indigenous women directly and also have a disproportionate impact on them because of their roles as food and water providers, caregivers and managers of resources.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Food & Nutrition
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Women
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Agenda setting of the work of the Special Rapporteur 2015, para. 14
- Paragraph text
- Violent conflicts and humanitarian crises fuel trafficking in persons. Situations such as the persecution of minorities, arbitrary detention, torture, rape, kidnapping and enforced disappearance, the destruction of homes, increased food prices and progressively scarce access to water and sanitation, which increase the risk of illness and starvation, lead to forced internal and international displacement of the population and forced migration. In their search for a safer and better life, many fall prey to traffickers and exploiters.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially in women and children
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Food & Nutrition
- Health
- Humanitarian
- Movement
- Poverty
- Violence
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Access to justice and the right to food: the way forward 2015, para. 72d
- Paragraph text
- [The Special Rapporteur recommends that States:] Provide mechanisms that offer adequate, effective and timely remedies in cases of violations of the right to food, in particular to groups such as communities living in remote rural areas, communities living in situations of extreme poverty, persons with disabilities and indigenous communities, either through collective or public interest remedies;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right to food
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Food & Nutrition
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Persons with disabilities
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Impact of climate change on the right to food 2015, para. 89j
- Paragraph text
- [In this context, the Special Rapporteur recommends that:] Knowledge and information as well as technology transfer and appropriate training in relation to changing climatic conditions be prioritized and available to smallholder farmers, women and indigenous communities;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right to food
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Food & Nutrition
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Women
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Impact of climate change on the right to food 2015, para. 89i
- Paragraph text
- [In this context, the Special Rapporteur recommends that:] The pivotal roles in food production of smallholder farmers, women and indigenous and local communities be recognized and protected and their acute vulnerability to climate change acknowledged;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right to food
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Food & Nutrition
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Women
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Rights of indigenous women and girls 2015, para. 77e
- Paragraph text
- [Recommendations to Member States] [With regard to economic, social and cultural rights, Member States should:] Invest in research that supports understanding of food insecurity among indigenous communities and develop programmes to ensure the rights of indigenous peoples to food;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Food & Nutrition
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Impact of climate change on the right to food 2015, para. 66
- Paragraph text
- Climate change mitigation strategies that aim to reduce emissions from land use may also have a negative impact on food production methods. The clean development mechanism was established to encourage industrialized States to fund carbon reduction projects in developing countries. It has generated many projects and in 2012 it was estimated to have generated approximately $215 billion for developing countries. Yet the mechanism has been criticized for failing to ensure human rights protections and to prevent the approval of projects that have negative human rights impacts, including on food security, owing to a lack of a rigorous impact assessment procedure for prospective projects. Activities have been proposed that would change land use patterns to reduce carbon emissions or promote carbon capture and storage; it is claimed that such projects have led to the displacement of small-scale farmers and indigenous peoples and that farmers may not be directly compensated for the carbon credits derived from their activities.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right to food
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Food & Nutrition
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Impact of climate change on the right to food 2015, para. 69
- Paragraph text
- While some indigenous and small farmer groups support REDD-plus solutions, others reject these and all other market solutions and urge global organizations to recognize and support the sustainable agriculture of family farmers and indigenous people as a way of maintaining global biodiversity and mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. In fact, some observers contend that, if well supported and scaled up, projects involving peasants and indigenous peoples could reduce current global emissions by 75 per cent by increasing biodiversity, recuperating soil organic matter, replacing industrial meat production with small-scale diversified food production, expanding local markets, halting deforestation and practising integrated forest management.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right to food
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Food & Nutrition
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Families
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Vision of the mandate 2014, para. 42
- Paragraph text
- Climate change, sustainable resource management and food security are now widely considered among the most complex, interdependent and urgent global policy challenges. With average temperatures predicted by the world scientific community to rise by 2-4° C by the end of the century, the ability of entire regions to maintain current levels of agricultural production is being threatened and many of the adverse effects of climate change are now acutely felt. Individuals and communities already in vulnerable situations and at risk of discrimination due to geography, poverty, gender, age, indigenous or minority status and disability are often disproportionately affected.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right to food
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Equality & Inclusion
- Food & Nutrition
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2014
Paragraph
Vision of the mandate 2014, para. 60
- Paragraph text
- The Global Strategic Framework for Food Security and Nutrition of the Committee on World Food Security must also be used as a key reference tool for the implementation of effective models of governance concerning food, agriculture and nutrition for States, intergovernmental actors and the corporate private sector. Although it is not a legally binding document, it constitutes a commitment for countries to adopt its principles, options and policy base, as suited to their local needs and circumstances. The document includes provision for the rights of women and children in relation to food security and recognizes the central role played by smallholder farmers, agricultural workers, artisanal fisher folk, pastoralists and indigenous peoples. The primacy of food security and nutrition as a basic human right is the primary responsibility of the State and should be given priority over any other government policy.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right to food
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Food & Nutrition
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Ethnic minorities
- Women
- Year
- 2014
Paragraph
Vision of the mandate 2014, para. 9
- Paragraph text
- At the international level, the right to food is recognized as a distinct and fundamental right in a number of international instruments. It was recognized in article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and reaffirmed in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (article 11) and, through the right to life, in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. It is also conferred in article 3 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. It is further recognized in the Convention on the Rights of the Child (articles 3, 24, para. 2 (c), and 27), the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (articles 12, para. 2, and 14) the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (article 5 (e)) and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (articles 25 (f) and 28, para. 1).
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right to food
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Food & Nutrition
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Women
- Year
- 2014
Paragraph
Vision of the mandate 2014, para. 26
- Paragraph text
- Although traditionally the role of women has been a part of the agenda on the right to food, the Special Rapporteur believes that the empowerment of women and the protection of their rights should be placed at the centre of the policymaking process on the right to food. Specific programmes and policies should be developed to empower women as agents of change. That means ensuring that they are granted equal access to resources, such as land ownership or tenure, water and seeds, and financial and technological assistance. The empowerment of women should not be limited to rural areas, but should also be extended to urban women, women from indigenous communities, those living in refugee camps and undocumented migrants. In the agricultural sector, policies tend to be "gender blind or gender sensitive in mild ways", failing to address some of the main obstacles women face. Moving towards gender transformative policies will require major additional efforts on the part of States.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right to food
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Food & Nutrition
- Gender
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Persons on the move
- Women
- Year
- 2014
Paragraph