The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO), in cooperation with IFAD, IFPRI, UNESCO, UNICEF, World Bank, WTO, WFP and the High Level Task Force on the Global Food Security Crisis (HLTF), are jointly organizing the Second International Conference on Nutrition (ICN2), a high-level conference at FAO Headquarters, Rome, from 19 to 21 November 2014. More information is available at: www.fao.org/ICN2.

A Preparatory Technical Meeting was held in Rome on 13-15 November 2013 to feed into the ICN2, drawing upon a series of regional conferences and technical background documents as well as from the outcome of three online thematic discussions (Social protection to protect and promote nutrition, Nutrition-enhancing agriculture and food systems, The contribution of the private sector and civil society to improve nutrition).

Two documents are expected to come out of the ICN2 - a political outcome document and a framework of action for its implementation.

The zero draft of the political outcome document, prepared by the FAO and WHO Secretariats, will be further developed by a Joint Working Group (JWG) of regional representatives of FAO and WHO Members for adoption by the ICN2 in November.

We now invite you to provide your comments on the zero draft of the political outcome document available in the six UN languages through this public online consultation. In providing your inputs, please focus on the set of questions formulated below. A template for providing comments can also be accessed here.

This open consultation will give an opportunity for a broad range of stakeholders to contribute to the Conference and its impact.

The comments received will be compiled by the Joint ICN2 Secretariat to inform the work of the JWG.

We thank you in advance for your interest, support and efforts, and for sharing your knowledge and experiences with us.

We have a tight deadline, so we encourage you to send us your comments on the document as soon as possible.

We look forward to your contributions.

FAO/WHO Joint Secretariat

Questions:

1.       Do you have any general comments on the draft political declaration and its vision (paragraphs 1-3 of the zero draft)?

2.       Do you have any comments on the background and analysis provided in the political declaration (paragraphs 4-20 of the zero draft)?

3.       Do you have any comments on the commitments proposed in the political declaration? In this connection, do you have any suggestions to contribute to a more technical elaboration to guide action and implementation on these commitments (paragraphs 21-23 of the zero draft)?

Commitments:

21.

Commitment I: aligning our food systems (systems for food production, storage and distribution)to people’s health needs;

Commitment II: making our food systems equitable, enabling all to access nutritious foods;

Commitment III: making our food systems provide safe and nutritious food in a sustainable and resilient way;

Commitment IV: ensuring that nutritious food is accessible, affordable and acceptable through the coherent implementation of public policies throughout food value chains;

Commitment V: establishing governments’ leadership for shaping food systems;

Commitment VI: encouraging contributions from all actors in society;

Commitment VII: implementing a framework through which our progress with achieving the targets and implementing these commitments can be monitored, and through which we will be held accountable.

22.

Commit to launch a Decade of Action on Nutrition guided by a Framework for Action and to report biennially on its implementation to FAO, WHO and ECOSOC.

23.

Commit to integrate the objectives and directions of the Ten Year Framework for Action into the post-2015 global development efforts.