21 Each State Party to the present Covenant undertakes to take steps, individually and through international assistance and cooperation, especially economic and technical, to the maximum of its available resources, with a view to achieving progressively the full realization of the rights recognized in the present Covenant by all appropriate means, including particularly the adoption of legislative measures. The argument for progressive realization of the economic, social and cultural rights including the right to food is mainly premised on the concept of resource constraints of the States. However, this does not mean that States do not need to do anything until they have sufficient resources. While some aspects of the right to food are subject to progressive realization, other State obligations are of immediate effect. It means that States must make every possible and constant effort, using all available resources, to better respect, protect and fulfill the right to food.66 The States must realize the following four categories of obligations immediately:. a. The elimination of discrimination: States must immediately prohibit discrimination in access to food and to the related resources on the basis of race, colour, sex, language, age, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth, disability or other status, and adopt measures to eradicate discrimination on these grounds. b. Obligation to “take steps”: While the full realization of the right to food may be achieved progressively, the following steps towards that goal must be taken within a reasonably short time. Examples of such steps are: - Assessing the state of enjoyment of the right to food, including ensuring adequate mechanisms to collect and assess relevant and suitably disaggregated data; - Formulating strategies and plans, incorporating indicators, benchmarks and time-bound targets, which are achievable and designed to assess progress in the realization of the right to food; - Adopting the laws and policies necessary for the realization of the right to food or revising the laws and policies which may negatively affect it; - Establishing the institutional mechanisms necessary for coordinating multi-sectoral efforts to realize the right to food; 66 Fact Sheet