Evidence shows that the improvement in food and nutrition security is mostly due to policies, programs and frameworks that are anchored in legislation. Parliamentarians play a key role in promoting and approving laws and policies to eradicate hunger and malnutrition. Despite the various challenges to be faced, as those posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, parliamentarians reiterated their commitment to learning from each other’s, sharing their experiences, strengthening collaboration between countries and regions, thus stimulating the adoption of laws, policies and programs, but also, the allocation and supervision of public budgets. In addition,...

Parliamentary action is fundamental to securing the right to adequate food for all. Parliamentarians guide and oversee public-sector policies and budget allocations towards transforming food systems that deliver healthy diets for all.The emergence of COVID-19 has shown the weakness in our food systems. Within three months of COVID-19’s arrival, disruptions were seen in all aspects of the food system-production, harvesting, transportation, processing, retailing and consumption – affecting the livelihoods and increasing the risk of pushing millions into a state of food insecurity and poverty.

The inclusion of the Right to Food in the constitution not only complies with international provisions and obligations, but also enables the judicial control of all national legislation that is incompatible with it and establishes the right to reparation for those who have violated their access to feeding. This document covers the regional and international frameworks that serve as the basis for the development of this constitutional right in Latin America and the Caribbean and the necessary parliamentary actions to make this right effective.

Food and nutrition security and the right to adequate food are multidimensional and cross-sectoral in nature. Their realization cuts across economic, social, cultural, environmental and political life and is intrinsically linked to that of other human rights, such as the right to water, the right to property, access to land and other productive resources, the right to health, the right to decent work and fair pay, among others.

School feeding laws are important instruments for the realization of the right to adequate food, the right to education, and the right to health of the schoolchildren. In addition, they fulfill a social function guaranteeing access to food of the most vulnerable children in school and the school attendance.