What is the CSO Mechanism?
In order to play its part in this new international institutional framework, civil society has built its own autonomous mechanism for participation in CFS activities, discussion, negotiation and decision-making. It is important to underline that, although this particular mechanism is a new one, we are by no means starting from zero. On the contrary we are building on the extensive networking experience that civil society organizations have accumulated in a range of policy areas and we are extracting lessons from existing examples of mechanisms of interface between civil society and multilateral institutions, including the IPC, the Farmers’ Forum, the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, various NGO coordination mechanisms and others.
During the Civil Society Consultation, 8-10 October 2010, the proposal for the Civil Society Mechanism (CSM) was presented for discussion and endorsement. In the end, the CSM was endorsed with the acknowledgment that it may not function perfectly during the first year of operation (2010/11). However, every effort will be made to ensure that processes to select members of the Coordination Committee, members of the CFS Advisory Group, participants in the CFS Plenary Sessions and to generally facilitate the participation of the broadest range of civil society actors in the work of the CFS, are as inclusive and as transparent as possible. Recognising the challenges of establishing a global CSM of this nature, focal points will be selected to CSM and CFS roles for an initial period of one year. An evaluation of the CSM will be held in October 2011 and improvements made to its functioning, including the composition of the Coordination Committee (in terms of regional, gender and constituency balance). Subsequently, post holders will be selected for a 2 year period in line with the procedures of the CFS itself.
Role and Function
The essential role of the Civil Society Mechanism (CSM) is to facilitate the participation of CSOs in the work of the CFS, including input to negotiation and decision-making. The CSM will also provide a space for dialogue between a wide range of civil society actors where different positions can be expressed and debated. The CSM will present common positions to the CFS where they emerge and the range of different positions where there is no consensus. The CFS reform document suggests that, in order to fulfil its facilitation role, the CSM perform a series of functions including the following:
i) “broad and regular exchange of information, analysis and experience;
ii) developing common positions as appropriate;
iii) communicating to the CFS and, as appropriate, its Bureau through representatives designated by an internal self-selection process within each civil society category;
iv) convening a civil society forum as a preparatory event before CFS sessions if so decided by the civil society mechanism.” (CFS:2009/2 Rev.2, para. 16)
1. Civil Society Mechanism Final, October 2010
Endorsed during the Civil Society Consultation, 8-10 October 2010 and presented to the Member Governments during the 36th session of the Committee on World Food Security, “the Proposal for an International Food Security and Nutrition Civil Society Mechanism” was acknowledged, and other stakeholders were encouraged to proceed along the same lines.
2. Civil Society Mechanism Draft 2, October 2010
Draft 2 was developed by Action Aid International, international Planning Committee for Food Sovereignty and Oxfam International. It will be included in the official documents presented to member governments during the 36th session of the Committee on World Food Security, 11-14 & 16 October, 2010
2. Civil Society Mechanism Draft 1, August 2010
Draft 1 was developed by Action Aid International, International Planning Committee for Food Sovereignty and Oxfam International. .
3. CSO Mechanism cover letter
To accompany Draft 1.
4. Decisions on CSO zero draft comments
Comments received by Civil Society Organisations have been taken into careful consideration for the drafting of this document.
5. Proposal for an International Civil Society Mechanism – Zero Draft, March 2010
“Zero draft” developed by the Governance Working Group of the International Planning Committee for Food Sovereignty, Oxfam International and Action Aid International.
The Civil Society Mechanism (CSM) is being established in order to facilitate civil society participation within the CFS, with particular emphasis on Southern civil society organizations. It is imperative that Civil Society, with priority to small holder farmers, producers, fisherfolk, indigenous, youth, urban poor, migrant workers and other groups affected by food and agricultural policies, are able tocontribute to the drafting of the CSM by submitting feedback and comments before the assigned deadline. Only with the helpful contributions of civil society can the CSM truly reflect a broad and all-inclusive CFS.
The goal? To present the proposal during the CFS’s 36th Session in October, 2010 for subsequent approval and adoption.
The “Zero Draft” has been drafted in accordance with the CFS reform document, paragraph 16:
“Civil society organizations/NGOs and their networks will be invited to autonomously establish a global mechanism for food security and nutrition which will function as a facilitating body for CSO/NGOs consultation and participation in the CFS. Such mechanisms will also serve inter-sessional global, regional and national actions in which organizations of those sectors of the population most affected by food insecurity, would be accorded priority representation. Civil society organizations/NGOs will submit to the CFS Bureau a proposal regarding how they intend to organize their participation in the CFS in a way that ensures broad and balanced participation by regions and types of organizations keeping in mind the principles approved by the CFS at its Thirty-Fourth Session in October 2008 (CFS: 2008/5; CL 135/10: paragraph 15). The activities of the mechanism will include:
i. broad and regular exchange of information, analysis and experience;
ii. developing common positions as appropriate;
iii. communicating to the CFS and, as appropriate, its Bureau through representatives designated by an internal self-selection process within each civil society category;
iv. convening a civil society forum as a preparatory event before CFS sessions if so decided by the civil society mechanism”.
6. Summary of Feedback for the Civil Society Mechanism Zero Draft, 22 June 2010
We are sorry if any feedback has been left unread for the zero draft of the CSM Proposal.
Contributions have been submitted by the following Organisations/ Working Groups/ Individuals:
- (AA) Action Aid;
- (AHG) AdHoc Group of INGOs;
- (CIDSE);
- (CONSEA) With contributions from Renato Maluf, CONTAG and the Brazilian Special Rapporteur for the Right to Land, Territory and Food, Sergio Sauer;
- (CS) Coordination Sud, Food and Agriculture Wordking Group;
- (EFSG) Concord European Food Security Working Group;
- (GK) George Kent, University of Hawaii;
- (IFP) The International Forum of National NGO Platforms;
- (IPC) International Planning Committee for Food Sovereignty;
- (MM) Matias E. Margulis – Adviser to the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food;
- (MN) Michael Nanz, FIAN Switzerland;
- [Nutrition Action Group] involving Concern, Save the Children and ACF
- (WOCAN); and
- (WRF) World Rural Forum
The drafting committee is taking all comments and feedback received from the zero draft into account for the first draft, which will be available in early July. Those who didn’t get the chance to comment will be able to do so for the first draft. Please check back regularly for updates.
At this time, a summary of the feedback is only available in English. For any comments or questions, please write to cso4cfs@gmail.com.
