A/HRC/30/55
(c)
Final study of the Human Rights Council Advisory Committee on the
advancement of the rights of peasants and other people working in rural areas
(A/HRC/19/75);
(d)
Report of the Chair-Rapporteur on the first session of the open-ended
intergovernmental working group on a draft United Nations declaration on the rights of
peasants and other people working in rural areas (A/HRC/26/48).
Adoption of the agenda and organization of work
11.
In her opening statement, the Chair-Rapporteur thanked the delegation of Guatemala
and the Group of Latin American and Caribbean Countries for her nomination as ChairRapporteur and welcomed their encouraging remarks about the working group. The ChairRapporteur informed the participants that two informal consultations had been held on 12
November and 4 December 2014. She also noted that all relevant information regarding the
working group could be found on the OHCHR website. In referring to the draft declaration
before the working group, the Chair-Rapporteur informed the working group participants
that the programme of work would include two thematic panels, with eight panel
participants. She noted that one panel would discuss the civil, political, economic, social
and cultural rights of peasants and other people working in rural areas and gaps and the
second panel would focus on rights of peasants and other people working in rural areas in
other international instruments and gaps. The Chair-Rapporteur noted that, after the panel
discussions, there would be an opportunity for general statements, followed by the first
reading of the new draft of the declaration on the rights of peasants and other people
working in rural areas. The Chair-Rapporteur highlighted that no list of speakers would be
provided during the general statements, as the session would be open to all participants
wishing to take the floor. She also highlighted that the reading of the draft declaration
would be done in five groups of articles: the first would include articles 1 to 6, the second,
articles 7 to 14, the third, articles 15 to 18, the fourth, articles 19 to 23, and the fifth,
articles 24 to 30 of the draft declaration. The reading would take place over three and a half
days and would be open to the floor. The Chair-Rapporteur also noted that there would be
no public consultation at the first meeting of the last day and informed the participants that
the final report would include: details of summaries of the debate, summaries of the panel
discussions and a summary by the Chair-Rapporteur. The Chair-Rapporteur noted that she
had conducted informal consultations with delegations and regional and political groups,
and that she looked forward to fruitful group work based on the various views of the
participants.
12.
The Chair-Rapporteur noted the basic principles for conducting the session of the
working group, namely transparency, inclusiveness, accountability and objectivity.
13.
The Chair-Rapporteur asked if there were any opposition to the programme of work
and, hearing no objections, declared the programme to be adopted.
III. Panel discussion
A.
Panel discussion I. Civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights
of peasants and other people working in rural areas and gaps
14.
One panellist noted that the great majority of the rights in the draft declaration were
not new rights, with many of them having been recognized in other international human
rights instruments. The issue of small food producers was raised, as was the need for the
recognition of the part they played in feeding the planet. It was also argued that small food
producers needed to be informed about their rights and that the draft declaration, if it were
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