Open-ended intergovernmental working group on a United Nations declaration on the rights of peasants and other people working in rural areas

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On 17 December 2018, the General Assembly adopted its resolution 73/165, which effectively adopts the United Nations Declaration of Rights of Peasants and other people working in rural areas. The adoption of the Declaration is the culmination of five years of negotiations under the Human Rights Council open-ended intergovernmental working group on a UN declaration on rights of peasants and other people working in rural areas ("Working Group", for short). The Working Group had been established by the Human Rights Council (res. 21/19 and renewed by subsequent resolutions) to negotiate, finalize and submit a draft, based on the two studies and draft submitted by the Advisory Committee (A/HRC/16/63 and A/HRC/19/75). Following the adoption of the Declaration, this open-ended Intergovernmental Working Group will cease to function.

Mandate

At its 21st session, on 11 October 2012, the Human Rights Council adopted resolution 21/19 [English Français Español العربية 中文 русский] by which it decided to establish an open-ended intergovernmental working group with the mandate of negotiating, finalizing and submitting a draft United Nations declaration on the rights of peasants and other people working in rural areas, on the basis of the draft submitted by the Advisory Committee, and without prejudging relevant past, present and future views and proposals.

The first session of the Working Group took place on 15 – 19 July, 2013, Room XX, Palais des Nations.

Background

In 2010, the Human Rights Council mandated the Advisory Committee to undertake a preliminary study on ways and means to further advance the rights of people working in rural areas, including women, in particular smallholders engaged in the production of food and/or other agricultural products.

In 2011 and 2012, the Advisory Committee submitted two studies, in accordance with relevant Human Rights Council resolutions:

Preliminary study (A/HRC/16/63)
Final study (A/HRC/19/75)

In September 2012, at its 21st session, the Council adopted the resolution to establish an open-ended intergovernmental working group on the rights of peasants and other people working in rural areas, on the basis of the draft submitted by the Advisory Committee.

For more information on the studies of the Advisory Committee, click here:

Sessions

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