Mandate

The Working Group on the Rights of Peasants and Other People Working in Rural Areas was established in 2023 by Human Rights Council resolution A/HRC/54/9.

The main mandate of the Working Group is to promote the effective and comprehensive dissemination and implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Peasants and Other People Working in Rural Areas, adopted by the General Assembly on 17 December 2018 (A/RES/73/165).

As set out in the resolution, the WG is mandated to:

1. promote the effective and comprehensive dissemination and implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Peasants and Other People Working in Rural Areas, while identifying challenges and gaps in its implementation at the national, regional and international levels, and to make recommendations in this regard; 
2. To identify, exchange and promote good practices and lessons learned on the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Peasants and Other People Working in Rural Areas, and to seek and receive information from all relevant sources (…)
3. To work in close coordination with the Office of the High Commissioner, the special procedures and other human rights mechanisms, the treaty bodies, other relevant United Nations agencies, funds and programmes, international organizations and regional mechanisms;
4. To facilitate and contribute to the exchange of technical assistance, capacity-building, transfer of technologies and international cooperation in support of national efforts, actions and measures to better implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Peasants and Other People Working in Rural Areas, in consultation with the rights holders as defined in article 1 of the Declaration;
5. To submit an annual report to the Human Rights Council and to the General Assembly on its work and activities, containing its conclusions and recommendations (…)

History

The establishment of the Working Group is the culmination of a long process, led by peasants and their representative organisations, which resulted in the adoption, on 17 December 2018, of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Peasants and Other People Working in Rural Areas.

Methods of work

The Working Group carries out its mandate in accordance with the resolutions of the Human Rights Council and in a spirit of constructive dialogue with Member States, rights holders as defined in article 1 of the Declaration, civil society, UN specialized agencies, funds, programmes as well as national, regional and international human rights mechanisms.

The Working Group makes full use of a common set of tools available to special procedures mandates, namely, thematic reports, country visits and communications.

It holds three sessions per year (two in Geneva and one in New York).

The Working Group has an interactive dialogue at the Human Rights Council during the September session on its thematic and country visits reports, and also reports to the General Assembly in October/November each year.

Furthermore, the WG undertakes other initiatives including public statements, position papers, amicus curiae briefs, participation in events, and contributions to the work of others in the UN human rights mechanisms or UN entities.

Resolutions