For a Convention on peasant rights !

ADVISORY COMMITTEE
1st session
4 – 15 August 2008

Introduction

Hunger and malnutrition in the world has been a recurrent problem for a long time. Its causes and those of the recent food crisis are well known to those who face the facts. However, the responses to one of the greatest violations of human rights are far from adequate. It should also be pointed out that the victims of this problem are, paradoxically, mostly peasants, who feed us but do not have enough to eat. This is why CETIM supports La Via Campesina’s initiative to adopt an International Convention on the Rights of Peasants. On this subject, I give the floor to Mr Muhammad IKHWAN, who is one of the representatives of this international peasant movement, who will present this initiative to you.

[Extract from the declaration]

We, peasants, women and men, of the International movement La Via Campesina, organized from 20 to 25 of June 2008 the International Conference on Peasant Rights in Jakarta, Indonesia. After seven years of intense discussions on the content and strategies, our spirits are high and full of confidence that we will achieve an International Convention on Peasant Rights. This convention will be one cornerstone to sustainable life for all human beings in our planet.

Read the CETIM’ oral statement