Dear ICN2 Organisers and Friends,
I like to commnet on behalve of Action Against Hunger on the Draft of the Zero plus one Draft Rome Declaration on Nutrition.
ACF International recognises that the ’Draft of the Rome Declaration on Nutrition’ has made advances in broadening the scope of the ICN2. In particular, we acknowledge the inclusion of a wider definition of food systems, the commitment to under-five malnutrition and the commitment to linking the ICN2 to the Post‐2015 Development Agenda.
However, there is significant space and need for further promoting a balance between food systems approaches, nutrition sensitive interventions, and nutrition specific interventions. The Rome Declaration of ICN2 should include commitments on the strengthening of health systems, in order to ensure the full integration of direct nutritional interventions within basic health care. The ICN2 will be in danger of failing its aims if it does not acknowledge the importance of health, care practices, and education. The final declaration should more generally reaffirm agreed and ratified human rights language, including explicit reference of the right to adequate food and health.
Despite various reasonable and pragmatic proposals from Civil Society Organisation coalitions on ways forward, there remains a lack of adequate interaction between the Secretariat, Member States and CSOs. The ICN2 process must be made more inclusive, accountable and transparent. We acknowledge the electronic consultation on the various stages of the outcome document, at the same time we do not believe these intermittent points to be sufficient in the run up to the November high-level conference and would like to see a more interactive discussion as this will improve the quality of the event and its outcomes. ACF, together with over a dozen CSOs, hosted a successful roundtable event during the WHA on 22 May in Geneva, bringing together informally the Secretariat, Member States and CSOs to help create clarity, shared understanding and promote constructive dialogue. We welcomed the open and productive interaction during the event with the Joint Working Group (JWG) and the Secretariat and hope all stakeholders seize the opportunity presented by the demonstrated commitment and fully adopt the principle discussion. We suggest that the JWG and the Secretariat consider similar public meetings in Rome and Geneva later in July following the expected publication of the first draft of the Framework for Action, to inform and collect input in a timely and transparent way.
We also urge the ICN2 Secretariat and the JWG to work with the WHO and FAO and propose an inclusive discussion before, during and beyond the November Meeting on opportunities to further mobilise multi-stakeholder interaction.
Lastly, we restate the need to include accountable commitments and the setting up of a Framework for Action. This framework must be a legacy of the ICN2 after November 2014 that rallies governments and international platforms to take accountable collective and individual actions to end malnutrition. It must also be a place that enables progress on the country level.
With only six months to go, ACF believes the ICN2 should reaffirm its commitments of coherence and consistency between the various global frameworks on nutrition and food security by adopting the widely agreed and achievable WHO nutrition targets as part of the Rome Declaration and a foundation for the subsequent discussion on the Framework for Action. The ICN2 must build bridges with global initiatives on food and nutrition security such as the SUN Movement, Nutrition for Growth initiative, REACH and the CFS to ensure to maximise its impact. The declaration should call for more coherence among the sectors, including in regard to land rights, health supply, gender, social protection and education.
Enclosed ACF submission of detailed recommendations to improve the Draft Rome Declaration paragraph by paragraph.
ACF considers the ICN2 to be a unique opportunity and we remain fully committed to bringing about change for better nutrition and to share our expertise with the organisers. We would especially like to offer the ICN2 the knowledge, expertise and perspectives that our day to day contact with the most affected people and communities – those that ultimately are at the centre of a successful ICN for whom ‘better nutrition for all’ is not a slogan but a desperate need.
Thanks Samuel Hauenstein Swan
Senior Reserch and Policy Advisor
ACF International
Mr. Samuel Hauenstein - Swan