1. How to join the IAAH?

Membership in the IAAH is open to international governmental organizations, international non-governmental organizations and civil society institutions that are mandated to engage in the fight to end hunger and alleviate poverty.  Organizations interested to join should contact the IAAH Secretariat at iaah@fao.org for further details.

 
2. Is the membership in the IAAH legally binding?

No, there are no legally binding conditions. However some obligations (see next question) are applied. The International Alliance Against Hunger (IAAH) is a “voluntary association of international organizations and National Alliances Against Hunger (NAAH) who share a common commitment to the rapid eradication of hunger in the world and who believe that their actions will be all the more effective through working together.”

3. What are the obligations of IAAH members?

The following obligations are applied to all IAAH members:

• Sign the IAAH Statement of Principles and indicate how it intends to contribute to the work of the International Alliance.
• Provide information about its mandate, governance structure, membership criteria and existing activities that demonstrate its commitment to the goals of giving expression to the aspirations of the poor and hungry and ending hunger now.
• Make an Ending Hunger Pledge - a time-bound commitment to undertake specific actions for which it will hold itself accountable.
• Report periodically on progress being made toward fulfilment of its pledge.
• Establish and keep current a website link with the IAAH homepage.

4. What are the benefits of IAAH membership?

The benefits of joining the IAAH are the following:

• Obtain a global platform for publicising information about ongoing and planned activities.
• Gain access to current information about what others are doing.
• Identify potential partners for joint action.
• Identify possible funding sources.
• Participate in a global movement for eradicating poverty and hunger whose strength is derived from shared commitment.
  

5. What are the main focus areas of the IAAH?

The main focus areas of the IAAH are:

• Advocacy – assuring there are common themes for advocacy, communication and educational activities.
• Accountability – alliance participants set their own goals and make time-committed “ending hunger pledges”.
• Resource mobilization – identify and mobilize funds for hunger reduction programs.
• Coordination – central node for coordination among Alliance members and National Alliances, it encourages direct contact and networking among global and national groups and coordinates work of the Alliance with the MDGs.

 
6. What is the role of the IAAH Secretariat?

The IAAH Secretariat has the role of overall coordination of the IAAH activities, and daily liaising with its members. It is housed at FAO and has access to FAO staff support. However, it is an independent entity, truly representing the constituent partners of the International Alliance and its National Alliances.

7. What are the main conditions for creating a National Alliance?

The main objective of National Alliance is to foster cooperation between Government, UN agencies and civil society with a view to eradicate hunger and malnutrition and alleviate poverty.   A favourable environment for free dialogue between Government and civil society is therefore a prerequisite for establishing a National Alliance. All National Alliances are encouraged to have a strong action orientation, including both advocacy and direct assistance components. In some countries, the need for raising awareness and advocating for action on political issues will be paramount. In others, meeting the immediate and longer-term needs of the poor and hungry may be the priority. However, although the local political and social environment will determine the specific mix of objectives and tasks for each NAAH, all NAAHs are united in their commitment to the basic principles and aims of the IAAH.

8. What is the key role of the National Alliances?

The key role of National Alliances is to advocate for more effective policies and programmes for reducing hunger, malnutrition and poverty and of ensuring better coordinated action by their members. Several National Alliances are active in promoting the concept of the Right to Food. Some, however, also engage in implementing small scale community-based projects. Probably the strongest Alliance is Brazil’s National Food Security and Nutrition Council (CONSEA). It is firmly supported by the Presidency and brings together all major players from government and civil society. It has been highly effective in promoting a rights-based approach to food security and nutrition and has played a major role in encouraging the adoption of new legislation, the creation of new institutional frameworks for addressing food and nutritional security, and ensuring a greater allocation of government resources for the small-scale farming sector. Increasingly it is sharing its experience with other NAAH. Amongst the developed country Alliances, the US National Alliance has been the most active in providing support to NAAHs in developing countries, catalyzing the emergence of direct relationships between its members and NAAHs in Ghana, Guatemala, Jordan and Sierra Leone.

9. How to mobilize funds for National Alliances and for which purposes?

 Recently published “Resource Mobilization Strategy” outlines the benefits of increased funding opportunities for the NAAHs, and possible sources and institutions to be contacted. Increased resource mobilization would provide conditions for faster progress towards the eradication of hunger and malnutrition, especially in those developing countries in which there is an effective NAAH. It is therefore recommended that NAAHs become a part of a larger international movement which can provide materials for advocacy campaigns, facilitate partnerships and assist in the mobilization of resources. Because of the inclusiveness of the International Alliance Against Hunger movement, some members of the National Alliance may also belong to other international organizations that are members of the International Alliance. Such overlapping memberships are welcomed and encouraged at both international and national levels, as they strengthen the networks.