A/HRC/RES/39/12 (Human Rights Council, Thirty-ninth session, 10–28 September 2018)
This United Nations declaration, adopted by the Human Rights Council in resolution A/HRC/RES/39/12 on 28 September 2018, establishes a set of human rights specifically for peasants and other people working in rural areas. The Declaration defines its scope and the persons covered, and sets out State obligations to respect, protect and fulfil these rights. It addresses land and tenure rights, access to natural resources (including water and seeds), food and food sovereignty, conservation of biodiversity, safe working conditions, social security, health, adequate housing, education and training, participation in decision-making, access to justice and protection from forced eviction and displacement. Article 19 explicitly recognises peasants’ rights related to seeds, including protection of traditional knowledge, participation in decision-making on plant genetic resources, the right to save, use, exchange and sell farm-saved seed, and the need for seed policies and intellectual property laws to take peasants’ rights and realities into account. The Declaration calls on States and international organisations to promote, disseminate and implement these rights through legislation, policies, international cooperation and support for peasant seed systems and agrobiodiversity.
Key topics: peasants’ rights, human rights, seeds, land tenure, food sovereignty, agrobiodiversity, access to natural resources
