Divulgação

 

Lunch time at a popular restaurant

The Chamber approved on Tuesday (3th) in the first round, the Proposal to Amend the Constitution (PEC) 47/03, introduced by the Senate, which includes the right to food as one of the rights establihed in Article 6 of the Constitution. The report, adopted by 374 votes to 2, must still be voted in the second round.

Currently, the Constitution considers as social rights education, health, labor, housing, leisure, safety, welfare, protection of motherhood and childhood, and assistance to the unaided people.

The rapporteur on the special commission, Deputy Lelo Coimbra (PMDB-ES), said the inclusion meets the requirements of the international agreementsto which the country adhered, ensuring that actions to combat hunger and poverty become state policies and are not subject to administrative changes.

For the 1st. Vice-President, Deputy Marco Maia (PT-RS), the approval was "the result of efforts of all those deputies who worked to give this gift to the Brazilian population."

Combating poverty
Coimbra argued that the inclusion of the right to food will ensure the maintenance or creation of policies to support the vulnerable people as well as policies to combat poverty. Among these policies, he pointed out those on income, on the use of sustainable production techniques, on the promotion of good nutrition practices; on the guaranty of water and food in times of crisis, on the right to nutritional quality of foodstuffs.

Deputy Luiz Carlos Hauly (PSDB-PR), however, said that the inclusion of this right in the Constitution does not bring practical effects to the population. He suggested total detaxation for food. "We will defend zero tax on food and medicine, promoting a reallocation of tax burden," he said.

The need for policies to provide control of food quality and nutrition education was emphasized by Deputy Chico Alencar (Psol-RJ). "In addition to approving a constitutional change, we must ensure that it is effective," he said.

Reporting - Eduardo Piovesan
Edition - Wilson Silveira
Translation – Adriana Resende