A/HRC/39/67 the text. National particularities and legal systems should be taken into account, in order to guarantee the rights of peasants. 23. The representative of Iraq emphasized the importance of the draft declaration and commended the particular focus on rural women in the revised text. 24. The representative of Egypt endorsed the statements of the African group and the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries, supporting the mandate of the Working Group. The speaker welcomed the improvements in the draft and hoped that consensus would be achieved. 25. The representative of Ecuador endorsed the statement of the Movement of NonAligned Countries and expressed support for the process. The draft had evolved and the references to women and girls were particularly welcome. The declaration would fill a protection gap in human rights law. 26. The representative of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela emphasized the importance of the declaration in fulfilling obligations, including the right to development and the right of peasants to land. 27. The representative of the Plurinational State of Bolivia stressed the importance of the draft declaration and called for an open, transparent and constructive process in order to achieve consensus. 28. The representative of Switzerland commended the inclusive process and considered the current draft to be a good basis for a consensus. 29. The representative of Cuba encouraged Member States and civil society organizations to support the process and tackle extreme poverty in rural areas. The speaker expressed support for the process. 30. The representative of Argentina stated that the country would make available specific comments on concerns that had previously been expressed. 31. The representative of Portugal was encouraged by the revised draft and hoped that it would be finalized at the present session, leading to consensus at the Human Rights Council. The draft declaration, when adopted, would contribute to better supporting the lives of peasants and rural workers, including women and children, inter alia by raising awareness, in particular of Governments, of the need to fully respect their human rights without discrimination and on an equal basis with the human rights of all other human beings. The speaker stated that Portugal welcomed the fact that the Lisbon Charter for the Strengthening of Family Farming (February 2018) foresaw the commitment of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries and of its member States to taking an active role in the negotiations on the adoption of the draft declaration. The speaker thanked civil society, in particular peasants’ organizations, for their valuable contributions throughout the process. 32. The representative of Indonesia highlighted its recognition of the right to land and made reference to the current visit of the Special Rapporteur on the right to food. The speaker also highlighted the importance of further discussing food sovereignty, vulnerable groups and other concepts. 33. The representative of Panama expressed support for the process and welcomed the active participation of civil society. 34. The representative of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland endorsed the statement of the European Union and stated that the United Kingdom did not recognize collective rights, with the exception of the right to self-determination. 35. The representative of the United States of America stressed that the Human Rights Council was not the appropriate forum for issues covered by the draft declaration. Human rights were to be enjoyed individually but not collectively, as granting collective rights might trump individual rights. The speaker stated that the United States therefore disassociated itself from the working group and its conclusions. 6