«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
On April 17, the International Day of Peasant Struggles highlighted an essential battle on the international scene: peasants and rural communities fighting for their lands and rights. Land grabbing is spreading like wildfire, spurred on by profit-driven agribusiness, transnationals corporations’ extractivism and large-scale “development” projects. These dynamics are detrimental to peasants, resulting in deforestation and […]
Continue readingOn 5 February 2025, the Moroccan Parliament adopted Law 97.15 regulating the exercise of the right to strike. Rather than a simple law, it constitutes a form of discrimination towards workers in the informal sector, especially in rural areas. Between the legal procedures imposed on the call to strike and the waiting period, non-compliance with […]
Continue readingSince the adoption of the Declaration on the Rights of Peasants and Other People Working in Rural Areas (UNDROP), the CETIM – in collaboration with La Via Campesina in particular – has been running training courses for peasant organisation executives. The goal of this training is not only to familiarise rights-holders with the UNDROP, but […]
Continue readingThe 3rd session of the Working Group on the Rights of Peasants and Other People Working in Rural Areas was held at the United Nations Office in Geneva from 24 to 28 February 2025. This session of the Working Group comprised mainly meetings of Member States and United Nations bodies to discuss the promotion of […]
Continue readingSince the adoption of the Declaration on the Rights of Peasants and Other People Working in Rural Areas (UNDROP), the CETIM – in collaboration with La Via Campesina in particular – has been running training courses for peasant organisation executives. In her report to the 58th session of the Human Rights Council, the Special Rapporteur […]
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