«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
I am Henry Saragih, general-secretary of La Vìa Campesina. I am coming here, on behalf of La Vìa Campesina and the CETIM to congrulate for the works of the Advisory Committee on establishing the groundwork of promotion and protection of rights of peasants. As now come into official report of the Advisory Committee, the peasants […]
Continue readingThank you Mr. President, On behalf of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, Solar Cookers International, Mouvement contre le racisme et pour l’amitié entre les peuples (MRAP) and CETIM, I would like to thank Mrs. Catarina de Albuquerque for her work in identifying and promoting best practices in access to safe drinking water. […]
Continue readingAs European, Israeli and American human rights organizations*, we are urging the UN Human Rights Council to intervene and call to an end of the war crimes and crimes against humanity being committed in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) as part of the Israeli occupation forces ongoing attacks in the Gaza Strip. At least 660 […]
Continue readingMr. President, Mr. the Special Rapporteur, distinguished delegates, We would like to commend the role played by the Special Rapporteur, Professor de Schutter, in the current efforts to promote a prominent role for the right to food in the search for responses to the food crisis. On several occasions, we expressed its concern about the […]
Continue readingAcces the Critical Report in PDF Peasants have always been among the first victims of hunger and multiple violations of human rights all over the world. For hundreds of years they have been forcibly evicted from their lands. Their claims have been met by violent repression. Every year thousand of peasants are killed defending their […]
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