«Il n‘y a pas un monde développé et un monde sous-développé, mais un seul monde mal développé»
At the global level, there are currently some 1.2 billion peasants and together with their families they represent one third of humanity. In absolute terms, there are more peasants today than ever before in history.
Peasants and other rural workers are key to food sovereignty and the realization of the right to food, in particular in developing countries where they provide up to 80% of the food consumed at the local level.
Peasants play a key role in the fight against climate change and the conservation of biodiversity
Yet peasants and other people working in rural areas are among the most vulnerable and discriminated-against group. They are victims of multiple violations of their human rights and suffer disproportionately from hunger and poverty. 80% of those victims of hunger in the world live and work in rural areas.
The CETIM works for several years in favor of the rights of peasants. lt provides its support to organizations representing peasants and other rural workers in the Global South for the access to the UN human rights protection mechanisms. The CETIM is also strongly involved to their sides in the campaign for the adoption of a United Nations Declaration on the rights of peasants and oher people working in rural areas, offering its support so that they are able to participate in the negotiations and present their proposals.
A Declaration on the Rights of Peasants
On 17 December 2018, the United Nations adopted the Declaration on the Rights of Peasants and Others Working in Rural Areas. Alongside La Via Campesina, CETIM was strongly involved in the process that led to the adoption of this indispensable tool. In particular, it offered its support to peasants to enable them to participate in the negotiations and to make their proposals heard.
The adoption of the Declaration is a historic moment. It is the result of a 17-year struggle for the recognition of the rights of this particularly vulnerable population. If respected and implemented, this instrument will be useful, not only for peasants, but for humanity as a whole.
One year after the adoption of this indispensable tool, a joint declaration was signed by nine special rapporteurs and experts and four members of the UN treaty bodies. This document stresses that farmers must participate “in all decision-making processes that affect their lives, lands, resources and livelihoods” and repeatedly urges states to play a key role in implementing the Declaration.
In October 2023, the United Nations Human Rights Council, with an overwhelming majority of Member States in favour, took another historic step. It voted in favour of Resolution 54/9 to create a follow-up mechanism to the Declaration. A Working Group of experts is now responsible for promoting and implementing the Declaration.
Download for free the e-book edited by CETIM “The UN Declaration on the Rights of Peasants“
Protect Peasants’ Rights Campaign
Access to justice for peasants
Training sheets on peasants’ rights
In the framework of the 51st session of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC), a delegation of La Via Campesina (LVC), supported by its historical allies CETIM and FIAN International, met in Geneva to continue the advocacy work in favor of the promotion of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Peasants and Other People […]
Continue readingHUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL 51st session (12 September-7 October 2022) [Excerpt from the statement] Diego Montón calls on the Human Rights Council and all UN member states to work together to advance the implementation of the Declaration, in particular through the creation of a monitoring mechanism on the rights of peasants’ rights within the UN human […]
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CETIM intervened once again before the Human Rights Council to denounce the new violations committed against the Malagasy population, particularly in rural areas.
Continue readingHUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL 51st session (12 Septembre-7 Octobre 2022) [Excerpt of the declaration] The “coup d’Etat” led on 17 March 2009 by Andry Rajoelina (current president of the country), then mayor of Antananarivo, has plunged Madagascar into a cycle of successive institutional crises, setting back democracy and the rule of law. The human rights situation […]
Continue readingHUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL 51st session (12 September-7 October 2022) [Excerpt from the declaration] The current climate crisis is increasingly affecting the rural areas and production of subsistence crops. The increase of severe drought, fires, floods, severely impacts living conditions and the right to work of peasants and other people working in rural areas. In this […]
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