Colansa and a group of civil society organizations from Latin America and the Caribbean prepared a letter to alert society and other organizations to the practices and methods adopted by so-called multistakeholder platforms, such as the Scaling Up Nutrition Movement (SUN) and Nutrition for Growth ( N4G). The document aims to draw attention to processes that are not very transparent, lacking in accountability and that prioritize private interests in the fight against malnutrition.
The letter was prepared because SUN organized a meeting in Panama this December with a focus on Latin American and Caribbean countries. “Although these initiatives are well-intentioned and aimed at preventing the scourge of hunger in these countries, it is necessary to review their strategies and results up to this point”, highlights the document, which already has more than 30 signatures.
These platforms, according to the document, present solutions focused on artificial and harmful measures, “intended to take advantage of their products and businesses, for example, ultra-processed food products, pesticides, genetically modified organisms, abusive exploitation of natural resources, monocultures and other unsustainable agricultural practices”.
The concerns of the organizations is that, as these initiatives are still little known in many countries, they move forward without the necessary debate. “Initiatives to combat malnutrition must not allow the participation of companies and related actors whose products, practices and policies oppose efforts to eliminate malnutrition in all its forms. Economic interests of transnational corporations cannot prevail over public health. In addition, these initiatives must contribute to the autonomy and local strengthening of public policies, institutions and civil society”, states the letter. Access the full letter here.
Have signed the document:
Colansa (Comunidad de Práctica Latinoamérica y Caribe Nutrición y Salud)
CLAS (Coalición América Saludable)
Idec (Instituto Brasileiro de Defesa do Consumidor)
ACT (Promoção da Saúde)
Healthy Caribbean Coalition
Aliança pela Alimentação Adequada e Saudável
Corporate Accountability International
CIET Uruguay
Alianza ENT Uruguay
FASE (Federação de Órgãos para Assistência Social e Educacional)
Fórum Brasileiro de Soberania e Segurança Alimentar e Nutricional (FBBSAN)
Sociedad Uruguaya de Tabacología (SUT)
Consumidores y Usuarios Asociados Uruguay (CUA)
Observatório de Obesidade (PEO-ERJ)
Grupo de Estudos, Pesquisas e Práticas em Ambiente Alimentar e Saúde (GEPPAAS), da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais
Observatorio Universitario de Seguridad Alimentaria y Nutricional del Estado de Guanajuato (OUSANEG)
Movimento Urbano de Agroecologia – MUDA
Míriam Balestro, Promotora de Justiça Aposentada e pesquisadora do Direito à Alimentação
FICA (Fundación InterAmericana del Corazón Argentina)
Secretaría Técnica MAELA Colombia
CORDES Colombia
Grupo de Pesquisas Sistemas Alimentares Sustentáveis (GPSAS) da Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP)