---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Claudio Schuftan <cschuftan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> Date: 2013/6/22 Subject: PHM-Exch> GLOBAL NETWORK FOR THE RIGHT TO FOOD AND NUTRITION To: phm-exchange <phm-exchange@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> *[PHM is a member of this network] * *GLOBAL NETWORK FOR THE RIGHT TO FOOD AND NUTRITION:** *A CALL FOR JOINT ACTION What We want The network is an initiative of public interest civil society organizations and social movements (peasants, fisherfolk, pastoralists, landless people, consumers, urban people living in poverty, agricultural and food workers, women, youth, and indigenous peoples) that recognize the need to act jointly for the realization of the human right to adequate food and nutrition. The Network opens a space for dialogue and mobilization of its members to hold States accountable for their obligations to realize this right; it supports the struggles of social movements and groups fighting against the violation of this right; it supports and does its best to protect human rights defenders against repression, violence and criminalization; and it moves to end the impunity of state-condoned violations and of non-state human rights abusers. *How we understand the right to adequate food and nutrition* All human beings, without discrimination, are entitled to enjoy the full realization of the human right to adequate food and nutrition. This right guarantees people’s informed participation in the decision making and elaboration of public policies assuring an economically, politically, socially, and ecologically sustainable supply of adequate and nutritious food within the frameworks of food and of people's sovereignty; it also guarantees the enjoyment of regular access to food for all while respecting both cultural traditions and the principle of non-discrimination. For the Network, this right encompasses nutritional well-being and the principles of food sovereignty. What we do The network will: 1. Hold States, as duty bearers, accountable for their general and specific obligations under International Human Rights Law, including the Maastricht Principles on extraterritorial obligations. As a general obligation, States must abide by the principles of non-discrimination, equality, non-retrogression, transparency, participation, accountability and rule of law. Specific obligations call on States to respect, protect, and fulfill (facilitate, promote and provide), in our case, the right to adequate food and nutrition. This implies that governments must make all their policies, such as agricultural, food, trade, economic, environment, social, energy and others coherent with the realization of human rights. 2. Develop monitoring and advocacy materials and methods that members and other partners can use when placing demands in front of States. 3. Engage to protect human right defenders and support their work. 4. Act as a watchdog making sure: a. The principles of non-discrimination and equality are respected and applied; b. The State complies with its human rights obligations and non-state actors do not abuse them. Impunity must end; and c. The State discharges their extraterritorial obligations. 5. Promote the highest possible standards of nutritional well-being for all age groups and actively foster local sustainable food systems that support those standards including breastfeeding. 6. Work towards the strengthening of the human rights system at all levels, guaranteeing the binding nature of human rights law and the redress of violations. 7. Mobilize support for the struggles of social movements when their human right to adequate food and nutrition or related rights are under threat or are being violated. How We Work Central to the functioning of the Network is the promotion of exchanges and dialogue among its members. Each member has its own focus area of work; in being members of the network they agree to work together to advance issues of common interest deemed of great relevance for the furthering of the human right to adequate food and nutrition. The network does not speak on behalf of itself, but provides an avenue for members to express themselves on shared concerns. The members of the Network engage in debates, advocacy campaigns and/or action days to demand redress of violations and abuses, as well as in alerting other network members and the general public to specific themes in need of attention. Furthermore, members also make policy recommendations and monitor their implementation. The publishing of the Right to Food and Nutrition Watch every year is an additional key contribution. On the basis of these principles, the members of the Network call on all interested public interest civil society organizations and social movements to join, and individuals to support the work of the Network. This appeal is backed by a charter which expands on the Networks' aims. The network is being officially launched June 24, 2013 in Vienna on the occasion of the Vienna+20 global meeting which PHM is attending. Facilitating secretariat: FIAN International Contact: Martin Wolpold-Bosien, Wolpold-Bosien@xxxxxxxx _______________________________________________ PHM-Exchange People's Health Movement - To post, write to: PHM-Exchange@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx - To view the archive, receive one weekly posting with all the week's postings, edit your subscription's options or unsubscribe, please go to the PHM-Exchange webpage: http://phm.phmovement.org/listinfo.cgi/phm-exchange-phmovement.org