Voluntary Guidelines: Elaborating, Implementing and Monitoring

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Voluntary GuidelinesElaborating, Implementing
and Monitoring

• Julian Thomas
• Senior Coordinator
• Right to Food Unit
• Economic and Social Department
• FAO, Rome

Symposium Rights based Approach to Food
Wageningen, 20 March 2006
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Structure of Presentation

• Elaboration
• Implementation
• Monitoring

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The Product

• The Voluntary Guidelines to support the
  progressive realization of the right to adequate
  food in the context of national food security.
• Approved by FAO Council, November 2004

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Structure

• Intergovernmental Working Group (IGWG)
• Regional Groups
• Bureau
• NGOs and UN agencies
• serviced by FAO Secretariat

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Negotiation Process

• Duration March 2003 November 2004 (less than
  2 years!)
• 4 IGWG sessions
• Intersessional Meetings
• Bureau meetings

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Support to IGWG

• Information Papers
• Case Studies
• Workshops and Conferences
• Associated activities (e.g. right to food
  projects)

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Stakeholder participation

• Relevant non-governmental organizations and
  academic institutions were invited
• NGO participation on equal footing
• Valuable contributions
• Guidelines benefited from over 20 years of debate
  among NGOs on RtF

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Stumbling blocks

• Legal dimension (justiciability)
• International dimension (Part III)
• Amount of detail
• Strengths of language
• Relevance of right to food in times of emergency

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Strengths

• Reasons for success
• Positive, cooperative spirit
• Will to accomplish VGs in time
• Supportive countries in all regions (e.g. Brazil,
  Norway, Germany)
• Role of the chairman

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Output

• VGs approved in consensus
• First time that Guidelines for a ESC right
  discussed by Governments
• High credibility
• Practical tool to promote implementation of
  international legal obligation
• No Recipe

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Implementation
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Nature and Status of the VGs

• Adopted by FAO Council, November 2004
• Disseminated (FAO, OHCHR, ECOSOC)
• Discussed in international fora (UN and other)
• Voluntary character

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Content of VGs

• Part I Preface and Introduction
• Part II Enabling Environment, Assistance and
  Accountability (19 Guidelines)
• Part III International Measures, Actions and
  Commitments

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Significance

• First attempt by Governments to interpret an ESC
  right and to recommend implementation measures
• High credibility
• Broad, inclusive, participative, constructive
  elaboration process
• Rests on sound, progressive groundwork and
  lobbying over 2-3 decades in int. debate

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New development approach? Yes and No!

• VGs are in compliance with
• FAO Anti-Hunger Programme
• Improve agricultural productivity
• Develop and conserve natural resources
• Expand rural infrastructure and market access
• Strengthen capacity for knowledge generation
• Ensure access to food for the most needy
• Twin-Track Approach

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New development approach? Yes and No!

• Additional elements
• Legal dimension (obligations)
• Human rights principles
• Accountability
• Rights holders duty bearers

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Difference between food security and right to
food

• Right to Food is based on obligations food
  security is a policy goal.
• Individuals are rights holders rather than
  beneficiaries
• Right to Food is linked to all other human
  rights food security is a stand alone concept.
  
• Principles of non-discrimination, participation
  and rule of law are integral to implementing the
  right to food
• Implementing the right to food entails
  establishing administrative and judicial redress
  mechanisms

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Difference between food security and right to
food

• Right holders not beneficiaries
• Duty bearers not matter of choise
• Human rights not charity
• Human Rights prinicples (Participation,
  Non-discrimination, transparency, equity)
• Accountability
• Empowerment

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Why rights-based ?

• Legal obligation (152 states ratified ICESCR)
• Moral obligation (850 million hungry)
• Economically viable (investment in economic
  growth)
• Politically sensitive (equality)

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Implementation entry points

• Right to food Assessment
• Communication and Advocacy
• Legal framework
• Policy framework
• Institution building
• Monitoring

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Implementation challenges

• Ease of elaborating VGs should not lead to
  complacency
• Relatively unknown, ill-understood concept
• Public education and strengthening implementation
  capacity
• Develop implementation methodology and
  demonstrate practical value
• Inter-disciplinary concept requires
  crosssectoral cooperation

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Monitoring
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Why monitor?

• Practical, effective monitoring system central to
  realization of RtF
• Recognized in the VGs
• Difficult because of complexity of RBA

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What to monitor

• Compliance with Art.11 ICESCR?
• Violations of the right to food?
• Single projects or development as a whole?
• Only food security projects or economic, non-food
  policies?
• Monitoring institutions, national budget...

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Indicators

• Progress against agreed benchmarks
• Impact the ultimate effect of a policy
• Process in compliance with HR?

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Rights-based monitoring

• continuous examination of the progressive
  implementation process
• Assessing achievements
• Checking if process is conducive to HR principles
• And Who is monitoring those who monitor?

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Challenges

• Interdisciplinary approach
• Must be simple but comprehensive
• Cross-reference to VG17
• Analysis with a HR perspective
• Publication of results (transparent and
  understandable)
• Participation of civil society in all stages of
  monitoring

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Conclusion

• 8 Facts to take home

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Conclusions I

• Right to food is firmly established. Not a new
  concept. ICESCR ratified by 152 states
• Central idea Feeding oneself in dignity
• Obligations (duty bearers)
• HR principles in development programmes

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Conclusions II

• VG is elaborated and owned by governments
• Realizing the right to food makes economic sense
• Right to food concerns all states
• Progressive realization

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Thank you
www.fao.org/righttofood righttofood_at_fao.org