A/HRC/30/55
75.
One delegation noted that the preamble highlighted a number of international human
rights treaties and instruments and that articles 22 (1) and 23 (1) should also be included in
the preamble, as they did not generate any specific obligations. It also recommended that a
reference be included to the International Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural
Development.
76.
A number of States noted that, although they needed more time to further study and
analyse the declaration, they were convinced that it was highly necessary to guarantee the
rights of peasants and other people working in rural areas and to encourage the international
community to support the declaration. One delegation also noted that articles 24-30 were
essential to ensuring and protecting economic, social and cultural rights.
77.
Another delegation noted that promoting and defending peasants and other people
working in rural areas was essential and that the declaration would strengthen national and
international initiatives to combat hunger and food crises and support the preservation of
biodiversity. They also noted that clear instruments for economic and social inclusion of all
those living in rural areas and fishing communities were needed and that the aim of the
declaration was to ensure access to markets, credit and sophisticated irrigation mechanisms
in order to reduce poverty. They also noted that guaranteeing social security and protection
was still a major challenge, and that rural women had a key role to play.
78.
One delegation argued that the declaration could contribute to improving the
potential growth of peasants and other people working in rural areas by improving their
welfare. It also noted that it supported the concept of food sovereignty, because it
emphasized the need for fair trade, particularly for small producers. It furthermore noted
that articles 5, 18 and 21-24 were key to the declaration because they guaranteed land,
seeds, cultural knowledge, agricultural loans, ecosystems for future generations, marketing
services, appropriate technologies, equal treatment in agrarian reform, and the quality of
life of peasants and other people working in rural areas.
79.
One NGO noted that farmers specifically in South Asia usually only referred to men
and therefore requested that “peasant men and women” be added to the preamble.
80.
One NGO noted that the concept of Mother Earth was not new within the United
Nations system and that it was a valuable concept for peasants and other people working in
rural areas, particularly in countries that recognized collective rights. They also noted that
the consideration by the Human Rights Council of those rights from a human rights
perspective emphasized their importance and the obligations of States to comply therewith.
81.
Some NGOs highlighted the need for the text to be easy to understand for peasants
and other people working in rural areas to read. They furthermore noted the need to
acknowledge that it was important to remember the importance of peasants’ food
production and their collaboration in maintaining the environment in the context of climate
change. They also noted the importance of land, seeds and water as rights and highlighted
that peasants and other people working in rural areas had a special relationship with nature.
They argued that contributed to the preservation of biodiversity and that without food
sovereignty it was almost impossible to guarantee any other human right. Welcoming the
term “food sovereignty”, they noted that food security and food sovereignty were not the
same thing and could not be used interchangeably.
82.
A number of NGOs noted the discrimination that peasants faced and emphasized
that they were the most vulnerable in accessing justice, particularly in the context of land
reform and land grabs.
83.
A number of NGOs underscored the importance for peasants and other people
working in rural areas to have access to seeds and information especially on genetically
modified organisms. One NGO also noted that when addressing development it was
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