On 5 February 2015, FIAN International, along with CETIM, other
human rights organizations, and representatives of peasants, indigenous
peoples, pastoralists, fishers and rural workers from around the globe provided
a joint declaration to the second
session of the open-ended intergovernmental working group on a
United Nations declaration on the rights of peasants and other people working
in rural areas.
The declaration states:
“We have been constructively engaging in this process of the UN
Declaration on the Rights of Peasants and Other People Working in Rural Areas,
from the field, pasture, our workplaces around the world and here in Geneva for
many years. We are happy to see the ongoing process and the constructive
contributions from many states and civil society organizations.
The UN Human Rights Council resolution 26/26 in 2014 gave the
mandate to this intergovernmental working group to negotiate, finalize, and
submit to the Council a draft UN declaration on the rights of peasants and
other people working in rural areas. The mandate calls for existing human
rights to be clarified and consolidated with a view to promoting and protecting
the human rights of peasants and other people working in rural areas.
Photo © Mario Macías,
Guayaquil (Ecuador).
We believe that the Declaration should extend universal rights
to peasants and other people working in rural areas thus filling existing
normative gaps in protection. It should also be forward looking to deal with
emerging gaps and thus end discriminatory practices affecting peasants and
other people working in rural areas.”
* Read full joint declaration…
This joint declaration was developed by La Via Campesina, The
International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco
and Allied Workers’ Associations (IUF), World Forum of Fisher Peoples (WFFP),
The World Alliance of Mobile Indigenous Peoples (WAMIP), International Indian
Treaty Alliance (IITF), Federation of Rural Adult Catholic Movements (FIMARC),
Centre Europe – Tiers Monde Cetim (CETIM), FIAN International, Centro de
Estudios Legales y Sociales (CELS).