GUIDE TO ADVOCACY FOR THE RIGHT TO FOOD THE RIGHT TO FOOD PRELIMINARY CONCEPTS LEGAL SPHERE POLITICAL SPHERE SOCIAL SPHERE Authors: José María Medina and María Teresa de Febrer Edition co-ordination: Prosalus Design and layout: estudio blg Publication Date: December 2011 English version: Translation and layout financed by ACF International This material has been produced with the co-financiation of the Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional para With the co-financiation of: Publicity partners: el Desarollo (AECID - the Spanish Agency of International Cooperation for Development). The ideas contained herein are not to be taken as opinions of the AECID. www.derechoalimentacion.org English version, translation and layout by: PRELIMINARY CONCEPTS LEGAL SPHERE POLITICAL SPHERE SOCIAL SPHERE INTRODUCTION The “Derecho a la alimentación. Urgent” (“The Right to Food - Urgent”) awareness The Legal Sphere includes the principal international instruments involved in the campaign was born in 2003, promoted by various development NGOs who, starting Right to Food; the issue of the legal demand to the right; the inconsistencies in natio- from of their own experience in cooperation with different countries in the Food and nal legislation to guarantee the Right to Food and/or of Food Security and the protec- Nutrition Security Sector, wanted to further the topic in the fields of awareness and tion of the Right to Food at a regional level. political advocacy with the focus on human rights. With this proposal, the organiza- tions currently promoting the campaign – Acción contra el Hambre , Ayuda en Acción, Regarding the Political Sphere, the guide makes a brief review of public policy Cáritas, Ongawa and Prosalus – launched the Guide to Advocacy for the Right to Food regarding the Right to Food and/or Food Security; and national and regional strategies with the conviction that advocacy is an activity that development NGOs should not set on Food Security, with emphasis on the approach to the Right to Food. Additionally aside and one that should be permanently on our agendas if we truly want to achieve there are observations on the indicators associated with the Right to Food. the necessary change so that each and every person’s human rights are recognized. Discussed in the Social Sphere section are: Food Security networks, resources and The aim of the guide is to ease the task of advocacy in subjects related to the right complaints that can be submitted when the Right is breached, the importance of to food in the legal, political and social spheres for all those, individually or collectively, communication in advocacy campaigns and some examples of awareness campaigns. who work towards the achievement of the recognition of the human right to food in all countries - recognition which these days needs asserting in the face of the shocking The Guide is published both in paper and electronic formats offering the possibility and unjustifiable hunger figures. of establishing an open space for the consultation of different sources via links provided indicated by . Likewise, the Guide can be viewed and downloaded from The first chapters of the guide will analyze the concept of advocacy, and the the campaign website*. differences between pressure groups and lobbying will be noted. The serious situation of millions of people suffering from hunger in the world today, and the causes and The Guide to Advocacy for the Right to Food is the result of the joint effort by the proposals of the campaign to alleviate so much human suffering are highlighted. A following development NGOs: Ayuda en Acción, Cáritas, Ongawa and Prosalus that series of terms related to food security/sovereignty, nutrition and so forth, will be are promoting the “Right to Food. Urgent” awareness campaign; together with defined. The next chapters will analyze the different spheres for carrying out advocacy different organizations in Nicaragua, Peru and Bolivia, with financiation by the Agencia tasks: the legal, political and social - introducing possible advocacy activities with links Española de Cooperación Internacional para el Desarollo (AECID - the Spanish Agency for furthering them. of International Cooperation for Development). * http://www.derechoalimentacion.org/webkwderecho/materiales/materiales.asp PRELIMINARY CONCEPTS LEGAL SPHERE POLITICAL SPHERE SOCIAL SPHERE Local organizations in the countries which MANAGUA LIMA LA PAZ appear on the following list participated in Ayuda en Acción: Henry Zambrana ADIAR: Martín Mori, Rosa Janeth Acción Contra El Hambre: Mª Jimena seminars in order to obtain their opinions on y Marisa Fuentes Moreno Lozano y Augusto Arturo Peroni Galli the Guide - to make changes, broaden Cáritas: Ignacio Bodán, Daysi Rivera Hurtado ACLO: Edgar Ance, Deysi Oropeza y concepts… The experience of joint effort in y Jorge Padilla ARARIWA: Soraida Condori Grover Solano Managua, Lima and la Paz was of great Centro Humbolt: Julio Héctor Asociación KALLPA: Mª del Pilar Villegas AIPE: Aquiles Dávalos interest and highlighted the need to join forces Sánchez Gutiérrez y Emily Morante AYNISUYU: Juan Carlos Sejas in the area of advocacy, specifically in the Right CIEETS: Rosa Mª Matamoros, Carlos Ayuda en Acción: Mabel Herrera Ayuda en Acción: Víctor Hugo Ledezma to Food, so that it is recognized, respected and Aguirre, Maryan Guzmán CAM: Mª Luisa Aliaga guaranteed by States, while strengthening y Jairo Arce Capítulo Boliviano Derechos Humanos: Cáritas: Carlos Villanueva y Ruth Víctor Vacaflores social networks. Comité de Acción Global: Clemente Anastacio Martínez Cáritas Bolivia: Carmelo Crespo Centro Ideas: Fernando Alvarado de la The Organizations that promote the CECASEM: Wilfredo Valle y Patricia Coop. Multisectorial Malacatoya: Fuente campaign for the Right to Food wish to thank Jobaina Jaime Bustamante COEECI - ASPEM: María Esther Zevallos all those who took part in the seminars, both Fundación La Iluminación: Karina CIPCA: Lorenzo Solís, Corina Miranda y speakers and participants, for their Sujey Meléndez ESCAES: Delicia Coronado, Mª del Shirley Rasguido Carmen Parrado, Milagros del Pilar all-important contribution in the completion of Comité Cívico pro La Paz: Norberto GISSAN: Manuel Salvador Díaz Pingus y Yoany Llatas Requejo this Guide. Medina y Breddy Zeledón Guachalla FAO - Perú: Mirtha Correa GISSAN/ADAR: Ligia Espinosa Coordinadora de la Mujer de Bolivia: IDIPS: Yuri Hidalgo Mara Flores GPAE: Lourdes García KAUSAY: Enrique Pumacahua IPDRS: Carmen Beatriz Ruiz Intermón Oxfam: Silvio Minier Medicus Mundi Navarra: Fernando IPTK: José Cazas y Iván Ramiro Arancibia Ongawa: Sonia Wheelock Carbone, Marcela Velásquez Ronceros y OTC - Bolivia: Mercedes Alonso y La Cuculmeca: Harmhel Dalla Torre Virna Valdivia Ainhoa Cabezón Lideconi GISSAN: Brenda Ayerdis Mesa de Concertación para la Lucha PASOS: Alberto Carrasco PROSALUS José Mª Medina contra la Pobreza: Fernando Arnillas y Hugo Brousset PROSALUS: José Mª Medina, María y Mª Teresa de Febrer González López y Mª Teresa de Febrer SIMAS: Martín Cuadra PROSALUS: José Mª Medina, Ángela Gago, Beatriz Llorente y Mª Teresa de Salud y Desarrollo: Óscar Lanza SOYNICA: Ruth López y Febrer SEMTA: Gumerzindo Benavidez Mª Gabriela Martínez TOURO: Andrea Hernández, Lindsey Gerdes y Cliff Hoffman Veterinarios sin Fronteras: Carine Verdier YUNTA: José Argandoña PRELIMINARY CONCEPTS LEGAL SPHERE POLITICAL SPHERE SOCIAL SPHERE PRELIMINARY CONCEPTS 1.1 HUNGER 8 Hunger Today 10 Associated concepts 1.2 THE RIGHT TO FOOD 12 Definition 14 Constituent Elements 16 Obligations on States 1.3. ADVOCACY 18 Concept 22 Objectives 22 Demands 23 Requirements 1 24 Advocacy Plan PRELIMINARY CONCEPTS LEGAL SPHERE POLITICAL SPHERE SOCIAL SPHERE 1.1 HUNGER HUNGER TODAY Since the World Food Summit in 1996 - when the international community committed In order to eradicate hunger, not just any increase in the availability of food is enough, itself to halve the numbers of the malnourished by 2015 - the hunger situation, far nor is the established agricultural, fishing, and livestock production model valid, as the from improving, has done nothing but worsen. The number of starving people in 2010 main problem is not in production - although important - but in distribution and was far higher than that predicted by the FAO in 1996. access. The most alarming increase has been since the Food Price Crisis in 2008 and the To fight against hunger, perhaps the best formula is not to encourage production economic crisis, with numbers surpassing a thousand million undernourished people, destined for market but domestic production in order to highlight the diet of rural of which 98% are in developing countries and 65% are in just seven countries: India, families, as approximately 75% of the hungry are peasants. Likewise it is essential to the democratic Republic of the Congo, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Pakistan and Ethiopia. focus on small-scale agricultural and livestock farmers, traditional fishermen, women This at a time when there is enough food being produced for all humanity. and other vulnerable groups in order for them to have the necessary resources to produce food. It is not about the proposal of total and absolute self-sufficiency What causes have led to the current situation? (autonomy), but to at least minimize the excessive food dependency on international commerce that generates vulnerability in the poorest populations. It is important that Temporary causes aside - such as the loss of harvests, inflation and food price the local ability to at least produce