Members

The Working Group is composed of 5 independent experts of balanced geographical representation, working collectively as a group and producing work in the name of the mandate. Members are elected by the Human Rights Council for a period of 3 years, which can be renewed once for an additional 3 years.

Current members

Mr. Carlos DUARTE (Colombia), Vice-Chair 

Professor and Coordinator of the Line of Applied Research in Rural Development and Land Management at the Institute of Intercultural Studies of the Javeriana University of Cali. Anthropologist. PhD in Sociology - PARIS III. Member of the Commission of experts that developed the concept of peasantry in Colombia. He was part of the working commission that designed the statistical categories for the elaboration of the self-identification questions of peasants for the National Institute of Statistics of Colombia. He advises various proposals of the peasant organizations CNA, ANZORC and ANUC for dialogue with the Colombian State. Mr. Duarte has experience in the management of territorial, interethnic and intercultural conflicts for the National Land Agency in Colombia.

Ms. Shalmali GUTTAL (India)

Shalmali Guttal is a policy researcher, analyst and popular educator with over 30 years of experience in the defense of human rights.  She works in close collaboration with rural communities, organizations of small-scale food producers, workers, women and indigenous peoples, and civil society and human rights organizations. Her areas of work include food sovereignty, land governance, agrarian reform, gender equality, trade, investment, and post-conflict transitions.  Her expertise has been developed through applied research, field work, and participation in national, inter-governmental and multilateral processes. She has written and presented extensively on the right to food, food sovereignty, rural development, land governance, gender equality, and impacts of economic policies on human rights.  She works with Focus on the Global South and is a member of the International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems (IPES-Food).

Mr. Davit HAKOBYAN (Armenia)

Multidisciplinary academic and qualified lawyer in Armenia with more than 15 years of experience in international law and human rights. He defended his Ph.D. thesis at Yerevan State University (Armenia), earned LL.M Degree at University Paris 1 Pantheon-Sorbonne (France), and completed legal practice course (LPC) with BPP Law School in London (United Kingdom). Mr Hakobyan is a Head of research group of the Comparative Legal Studies and Internationalisation of Law at the Institute of Philosophy, Sociology, and Law, National Academy of Sciences of Armenia. His reasech focuses on human rights in business, social and environmental rights, universal common goods. He also teaches International Economic Law at the French University in Armenia. Recently, Mr. Hakobyan has served as Chariman of the State Commission for Constitutional Reform established by the Prime Minister of Armenia. During his tenure, Mr Hakobyan advocated for the recognition of economic, social, and cultural rights as fundamental human rights, and pushed for the inclusion of the environmental agenda into the Constitution of Armenia. As a qualified lawyer, he addresses peasants’ rights from the perspective of the compliant business, promotes the practice of human rights due diligence, and advocates for the implementation of UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

Ms. Uche Ewelukwa OFODILE (Nigeria), Vice-Chair

Is  E.J. Ball Professor of Law at the University of Arkansas School of Law and a Senior Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School (HKS). She is a recognized expert in int'l human rights law, international trade/investment law, int'l food law and intellectual property law. Doctorate (PH.D) degree in law from Harvard Law School. Focused on international law. Prof. Ofodile's knowledge and expertise has been acquired through many years of study, research, work with NGOs (Human Rights Watch), grassroots advocacy efforts, and work with various international organizations (e.g. UNCTAD) and grassroots organizations.

Ms. Geneviève SAVIGNY (France), Chair-Rapporteur

Ms. Savigny is a peasant and is a member of the Vía Campesina organization. She has extensive practical training in international human rights. Ms. Genevieve contributed to the first intergovernmental working group in July 2013 (OEIWG) to present the situation of European peasants. She was able to participate in all stages of the negotiation of the Declaration on the Rights of Peasants and Other Rural Workers (UNDROP). Mrs. Genevieve also made representations to the States to inform them of the relevance of the Declaration, including in the context of the European agriculture.