A/HRC/16/63 Contents Page I. Introduction............................................................................................................. 1−3 3 II. Identification of discriminated and vulnerable groups working in rural areas ........ 4−18 3 Overview of the situation of peasants and other people working in rural areas ................................................................................................................ 4−5 3 B. Smallholder farmers........................................................................................ 6−9 4 C. Landless people working as tenant farmers or agricultural labourers............. 10−12 5 D. People living from traditional fishing, hunting and herding activities............ 13−16 6 E. Peasant women ............................................................................................... 17−18 7 Causes of discrimination and vulnerability of peasants and other people working in rural areas.............................................................................................. 19−40 8 A. Expropriation of land, forced evictions and displacement.............................. 20−24 8 B. Gender discrimination .................................................................................... 25−27 10 C. Absence of agrarian reform and rural development policies, including irrigation and seeds ......................................................................................... 28−35 11 D. Lack of a minimum wage and social protection ............................................. 36−38 12 E. Repression and criminalization of movements protecting the rights of people working in rural areas ..................................................................... 39−40 13 Protection of the rights of peasants and other people working in rural areas under international human rights law............................................................. 41−57 14 A. International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.................. 42−50 14 B. International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights ..................................... 51−53 16 C. Rights of women living in rural areas............................................................. 54−55 17 D. Rights of indigenous people ........................................................................... 56−57 18 Ways and means to advance the rights of peasants and other people working in rural areas............................................................................................................ 58−67 18 A. Implementation of existing international norms ............................................ 59−61 18 B. Addressing normative gaps under international human rights law ................ 62−63 19 C. New legal instrument on the rights of people working in rural areas ............. 64−67 19 Conclusion .............................................................................................................. 68−70 20 A. III. IV. V. VI. 2 Paragraphs