Parliamentarians from the East African Legislative Assembly and the Republic of Congo join Virtual Side Event at 2024 Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development

Parliamentary perspectives were in the spotlight at a side event of the 2024 Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development in April, where Honourable Francoise Uwumukiza, representative of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA), and Hon. Marie Jeanne Kouloumbou, President of the Environment, Food Safety and Sustainable Development Commission of the Legislative Assembly of the Republic of Congo shared insights. 

Focusing on ending hunger and eradicating poverty through human rights-based food systems transformations placing human well-being at the centre, the multi-stakeholder dialogue was co-organized by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Danish Institute for Human Rights (DIHR) and the Network of African NHRIs (NANHRI). 

2024 marks the 20th Anniversary of the FAO Council's approval of the Voluntary Guidelines for the Progressive Realization of the Right to Adequate Food, also known as the Right to Food Guidelines (127th FAO Council 2004). The Guidelines represent an effort by governments to interpret economic, social, and cultural rights and propose cross-sectoral measures to be implemented for its gradual achievement. 

Hon. Francoise Uwumukiza, representative of the East African Legislative Assembly, affirmed that the human rights-based approach in legislative initiatives related to agrifood systems transformation is applied in the East African Community. She addressed the importance of legislative initiatives, oversight mechanisms and collaboration with different stakeholders to promote food security, nutrition and women's empowerment. She also commented on how the Assembly aligns its work with international human rights instruments and partners with organizations such as FAO to support capacity building and community engagement, aiming to create sustainable and inclusive agrifood systems that ensure the right to adequate food for all citizens.

The East African Legislative Assembly is part of various programmes and networks related to nutrition and food security, such as the Eastern Africa Parliamentary alliance for Food Security and Nutrition. Hon. Uwumukiza recalled that during the Second Global Parliamentary Summit against Hunger and Malnutrition in Chile, parliamentarians, including herself, from various countries endorsed the first ever Global Parliamentary Pact committing to promoting sustainable, inclusive and equitable agrifood systems, aiming to ensure the right to adequate food for all individuals, eliminate hunger, and support sustainable agriculture aligned with all Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a top priority.

On another note, Hon. Marie Jeanne Kouloumbou from the Parliament of the Republic of Congo highlighted the establishment in 2017 of the Commission of Food Security and Nutrition, allowing the Parliament to increasingly focus on this crucial topic. However, she noted the challenge for Parliamentarians to address the transversality of food security and environment, which requires coordination and active engagement of multiple sectors and Ministries. She stressed the need to enact legislation and undertake significant work in this area, involving producers, consumers, small and medium enterprises and all other key players involved in food systems.

Hon. Kouloumbou highlighted the importance of FAO's assistance to persist in raising awareness on food security and nutrition, to strategically advancing progress and development. The human rights-based approach must also guarantee promotion and oversight in these areas. It is essential to ensure collaboration and alignment of efforts, moving forward in the same direction towards achieving food security and nutrition goals.

FAO’s global engagement with parliamentarians

FAO’s collaboration with parliamentary networks plays a critical role in advancing the Human Rights-Based Approach (HRBA) – a fundamental principle of the 2030 Agenda – in the transformation of agrifood systems. These relationships are crucial in ensuring adherence to international law and expediting progress towards achieving all Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 2, Zero Hunger. Parliamentarians can ensure the right to food by enacting and enforcing legislation that guarantees access to nutritious and culturally appropriate food for all individuals, allocating resources towards food security programmes, supporting small-scale farmers and sustainable agriculture practices, promoting food security and addressing food waste and food loss. Additionally, parliamentarians can advocate for policies that address the root causes of hunger and malnutrition.

Through FAO’s collaboration with over 60 Parliamentary networks at various levels – including local, national, sub-regional, regional, and global – more than 80 laws addressing food security, nutrition and agriculture-related issues have been developed and adopted. Key global outcomes include the organization of two Global Parliamentary Summits against Hunger and Malnutrition, seven Virtual Parliamentary Dialogues, and the establishment of the first-ever Global Parliamentary Pact against Hunger and Malnutrition in 2023. Additionally, there has been consistent parliamentary engagement in policy dialogue and advocacy events, as well as the creation of tailored knowledge products, such as handbooks for parliamentarians and e-learning courses on topics such as Food Security and Nutrition and Responsible Investments in Agriculture.