A/HRC/36/58 Annex II Summary of statements by panellists** José Esquinas José Esquinas reminded the audience more than 70% of the food produced worldwide come from small-scale farming. Hence this declaration is needed to tackle crucial issues faced by peasants and consequently the whole world. If norms were set elsewhere: the declaration consolidated and restated them, facilitating its implementation. Mr. Esquinas emphasized on the importance of the rights to land, natural resources and seeds. He also affirmed that food sovereignty is essential to avoid being at the mercy of markets and loosing political sovereignty Shivani Chaudhry Shivani Chaudhry stressed that the proposed declaration is important and unique in that it provides a human rights framework to protect peasants and other rural people, within an environmental and sustainable development paradigm. The acute crisis in rural areas, including that of farmer suicides, reflects a colossal tragedy and global policy failure, making the need for this declaration all the more urgent. The proposed declaration plays a significant role in recognising the individual and collective right to land, as well as the principle of food sovereignty. Ms. Chaudhry stated that the declaration would help meet implementation gaps in the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Mamadou Goïta Mr. Mamadou Goïta drew attention to challenges facing peasants including the technical and natural risks induced by climate changes, the global trend of privatization of land, soil degradation, and the lack of investment in education and professional training for peasants and other people working in rural areas. Consequently, Mr. Goïta expressed the view that the most important aspects of the draft declarations were the recognition of the right to food sovereignty, the right to access and control of resources and associated knowledge and the right to basic social services. Anuradha Mittal Ms. Anuradha Mittal underscored that the declaration would be a significant milestone for billions of peasants and rural workers who were stewards of the land and natural resources and were carrying out the much needed agroecological transition of our food system. She called attention to the fact that, in spite of this, peasants were disproportionately impacted by poverty, malnutrition, hunger, and face ongoing threats of displacement and criminalization. She stressed that in view of this, the declaration was a tool urgently needed to both protect and defend the lives, livelihoods and rights to natural resources of the peasants and rural workers. Priscilla Claeys Ms. Priscilla Claeys stated that the objective of the drafting of the new declaration was twofold: to apply the most progressive international standards in human rights and to ensure that the human rights international system respond to new challenges such as climate change, natural resource depletion, as well as to difficulties faced by peasants. Elements of the declaration, such as food sovereignty, seek to address them. Food sovereignty is the right of peoples to define and build their own food systems. It is a contemporary version of ** 26 Full statements are available on the webpage of the session: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/HRC/RuralAreas/Pages/4thSession.asp