”Hunger and rage (and the virus) are human things”: reflections on solidarity in times of Covid-19

Abstract

Objective To identify and reflect about civil society’s initiatives to curb hunger in connection with the Covid-19 pandemic in Brazil. Methods In order to identify society’s initiatives to fight hunger, two independent systematic searches were conducted in the Google® search engine using the following keywords: “covid civil society initiatives” and “hunger pandemic solidarity campaign”. Results Fourteen nationwide civil society-promoted initiatives were identified, that among their objectives aimed at fostering collective funding to purchase and distribute foods. Conclusion Brazilian society has been historically sensitive to the hunger problem and shows solidarity as a social value. Nevertheless, the State is legally bound to provide food, as a social right.

Participatory construction of the food security agenda in Brazil: Interests and priorities from re-democratization to institutional dismantling

“…by the Brazilian society in the CNSAN reports 21 . We sought to discuss the importance of these spaces for decision-making and good governance of food security, alerting to the current context of dismantling of SAN policies and the worsening of hunger and food insecurity in Brazil 3,23,24,25 .…”

“…The current weakness in the insertion of food security in the Brazilian government agenda presents characteristics that recall the first moment of this trajectory (1990s), such as the second extinction of CONSEA, the threats to the participation of civil society in the governance of food security, and the need for articulation of social movements to compensate for the inefficiency of governments in fulfilling their duty to guarantee the right to adequate food for the entire population 3,23,24 .…”

Conjuntura política brasileira e saúde: do golpe de 2016 à pandemia de Covid-19

“…Com relação às ações de solidariedade e promoção da saúde, muitas foram as iniciativas, incluindo entrega de cestas básicas, kits de higiene pessoal, construção de pias para lavagem de mãos, confecção de máscaras de proteção individual, organização de cozinhas comunitárias, assessoria para acesso ao auxílio emergencial, apoio às mulheres vítimas de violência e à população Lésbica, Gay, Bissexual, Transexual, Travesti, Transgênero, Queer, Intersexual, Assexual e mais (LGBTQIA+), produção de material em linguagem facilitada para realização de educação popular em saúde e comunicação social, organização de gabinetes de crise, comitês populares, observatórios acadêmico-populares, barreiras sanitárias populares, o que variou entre abordagens utilitaristas e de justiça social 73,76- 78 .…”