The UN Committee on World Food Security (CFS) has placed itself as a key body where global decision and policy making on issues of food and nutrition security are held. After a reform process in 2009, the CFS has worked to become a space that promotes multistakeholder and inclusive dialogue, with a dedicated mechanism for civil society engagement. The Civil Society Mechanism (CSM) is the largest international mechanism of civil society organizations (CSOs) seeking to influence agriculture, food security and nutrition policies and actions at national, regional and global levels. The CFS provides a platform to engage with governments, UN agencies, private sector and civil society. Each policy area has a dedicated working group within civil society that collects inputs from regional and global constituencies of food producers and food insecure communities, creating a unique space that seeks to place civil society on equal footing with other actors

Habitat International Coalition coordinates the urban food and nutrition constituency within the CSM, currently through Davinder Lamba, HIC president emeritus based in Nairobi, Kenya, and Emily Mattheisen, based at the HIC-HLRN office in Cairo, Egypt. HIC representatives work within this mechanism to ensure that the concerns and needs of urban populations are streamlined in CFS decisions and dialogue. During 2013, and into the 2014, HIC was involved with various policy working groups including nutrition, monitoring and evaluation, and food loss and waste, and continues to be very active in the ongoing negotiations on the Agenda for Action for Food Insecurity in Protracted Crises.

The CFS is held annually in October, but the work is ongoing throughout the year. HIC members are invited to contribute to working groups relevant to their local and regional efforts. HIC representatives will be in contact with members over the next year to work towards greater urban-based participation within the CSM and CFS processes. For more information please email emattheisen@hic-mena.org and davinderlamba@gmail.com