A/HRC/22/57 5. Economic activities, particularly by women, were severely curtailed in the period of 2007-2008, when the authorities prohibited women under 40 years of age from trading; the age was subsequently raised to 49.6 6. In 2008, it was reported that army personnel were forcing farmers to provide them with food, to the detriment of the latter‟s livelihood. The authorities were also reportedly subjecting markets to greater scrutiny and punishing traders in the pursuit of State control over the population.7 7. At the end of 2008, the authorities planned to reduce the frequency of the trade at open markets to once a month. The authorities were also reportedly closing general markets and transforming them into farmers‟ markets, with a ban on rice sales. 8 8. In 2009, it was reported that small-lot and small-patch farming would be prohibited.9 9. Moreover, the Special Rapporteur has stressed the discriminatory nature of food policies, noting the great disparity between access by the elite to food and other necessities and access by the rest of the population to the wherewithal of life. He has concluded that food aid is provided by the Government in violation of the principle of non-discrimination.10 He has also stressed that the excessive expenditure by the authorities on its defence sector, based upon the country‟s “military-first” policy causes serious distortions in the national budget and its use of national resources. The Special Rapporteur considers this a key impediment to the country‟s development process as well as the right to food and life and other rights. 10. The Special Rapporteur has expressed particular concern about those most vulnerable to food insecurity, like children, pregnant and lactating women, the elderly and people with disabilities. In 2004 an extensive food and nutrition survey carried out by United Nations agencies in cooperation with the Democratic People‟s Republic of Korea revealed that while the situation of children had improved on some fronts in regard to malnutrition, the situation of women had not improved: some one third of mothers were found to be malnourished and anaemic, which obviously affected children‟s malnutrition. 11 11. The United Nations has also consistently highlighted the problem of access of humanitarian assistance.12 In 2004, the Government started to accept foreign food aid to alleviate the chronic situation. However, in 2005 and 2006, it tried to reduce that aid and the presence of international agencies working on the issue in an attempt to curb outside influence13. There was a further obstacle in July 2006 due to the missile tests launched by the Government in the face of global opposition. This event had a negative impact on the food situation of the country, since it caused various contributors of humanitarian aid to discontinue providing that aid.14 12. Concurrently, matters became more complicated due to devastating floods that caused substantial damage and loss of lives in July and August 2006. These disasters 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 14 A/64/224, para 17 A/64/224, para 17 A/HRC/10/18, para 15; A/64/224, para 18 A/HRC/10/18, para 15 A/HRC/7/20, paras 15-23 A/60/306, para 38 See General Assembly Resolutions: A/RES/61/174, A/RES/62/167, A/RES/63/190, A/RES/64/175, A/RES/66/174; see also Human Rights Council resolutions: A/HRC/RES/10/16, A/HRC/RES/13/14, A/HRC/RES/16/8, A/HRC/RES/19/13 E/CN.4/2006/35 paras 4-5; A/61/349 A/61/349