Checklist: When is the Right to Food mainstreamed? | Mainstreaming the Right to Food into sub-national plans and strategies

When are food security and the right to food “mainstreamed”?

If all the conditions on the two checklists below have been fulfilled, then we can say that food security and nutrition and human rights principles have effectively been applied in policy and strategy formulation and implementation.

Food Security	Good Governance and Right to Food
Food insecure and vulnerable groups are identified, their livelihood strategies and activities are described, and a causality analysis has been performed for each group. Policy priorities and operational measures are identified to clearly target food insecure and vulnerable groups. Food security and nutrition (FSN) goals, targets and benchmarks have been established. Operational plans are in place to achieve FSN goals, targets and benchmarks. Budgetary resources have been allocated to implement operational plans. An institutional framework is in place and functioning to support inter-sectoral planning and coordination (among sectors and among levels of government). Monitoring activities are included in operational plans, and are funded; monitoring systems use multisector information to monitor the achievement of FSN targets, benchmarks, and the implementation of FSN actions targeted at food insecure and vulnerable groups.	The decentralization framework must link local financing and fiscal authority to the service provision responsibilities and functions of the local government - so that local politicians can bear the costs of their decisions and deliver promised food security activities (“finance follows function”). People (or their representatives) can express their preferences in a way that is binding on the politicians - so that there is a credible incentive for people to participate. Policy and other decisions are communicated in easily understood ways, providing a clear rationale for such decisions to all concerned. The ways in which public services are provided and public investments are made are free from any form of discrimination against any population group with specific characteristics such as sex, race, ethnicity, religion, location, etc. People (or their representatives) have adequate access to necessary information to monitor the provision of public services, the allocation and expenditure of public financial resources and the use of public goods. Implementation of public actions to reduce food insecurity, malnutrition and vulnerability happens within a system of accountability that relies on public and transparent information which enables the community to effectively monitor the performance of the local government and react appropriately to that performance. People (or their representatives) have adequate access to legal recourse and other means to request that actions to reduce food insecurity, malnutrition and vulnerability be implemented in accordance with norms and standards provided for in legislation, with observance of the rules of law, and with complete respect for human dignity.

Food Security

Good Governance and Right to Food

Food insecure and vulnerable groups are identified, their livelihood strategies and activities are described, and a causality analysis has been performed for each group.

Policy priorities and operational measures are identified to clearly target food insecure and vulnerable groups.

Food security and nutrition (FSN) goals, targets and benchmarks have been established.

Operational plans are in place to achieve FSN goals, targets and benchmarks.

Budgetary resources have been allocated to implement operational plans.

An institutional framework is in place and functioning to support inter-sectoral planning and coordination (among sectors and among levels of government).

Monitoring activities are included in operational plans, and are funded; monitoring systems use multisector information to monitor the achievement of FSN targets, benchmarks, and the implementation of FSN actions targeted at food insecure and vulnerable groups.

The decentralization framework must link local financing and fiscal authority to the service provision responsibilities and functions of the local government - so that local politicians can bear the costs of their decisions and deliver promised food security activities (“finance follows function”).

People (or their representatives) can express their preferences in a way that is binding on the politicians - so that there is a credible incentive for people to participate.

Policy and other decisions are communicated in easily understood ways, providing a clear rationale for such decisions to all concerned.

The ways in which public services are provided and public investments are made are free from any form of discrimination against any population group with specific characteristics such as sex, race, ethnicity, religion, location, etc.

People (or their representatives) have adequate access to necessary information to monitor the provision of public services, the allocation and expenditure of public financial resources and the use of public goods.

Implementation of public actions to reduce food insecurity, malnutrition and vulnerability happens within a system of accountability that relies on public and transparent information which enables the community to effectively monitor the performance of the local government and react appropriately to that performance.

People (or their representatives) have adequate access to legal recourse and other means to request that actions to reduce food insecurity, malnutrition and vulnerability be implemented in accordance with norms and standards provided for in legislation, with observance of the rules of law, and with complete respect for human dignity.