Event information

17 June 2019, 15:30-18:00

Downloads

Programme >

How the UN Declaration on the Rights of Peasants may contribute to the UN Decade of Family Farming

Event

Tea plantations in Tanzania Tea plantations in Tanzania

The UN General Assembly adopted, in December 2018, the United Nations (UN) Declaration on the rights of peasants and other people working in rural areas (UNDROP) as the results of more than six years of negotiation within the UN Human Rights Council.

The adoption of the UNDROP came at the perfect time to be a significant contribution to the UN Decade for Family Farming (2019–2028) that was officially launched at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) on 29 May 2019. It is, therefore, particularly relevant for the three Rome-based UN Agencies: the FAO, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the World Food Programme (WFP).

This event, co-organized with the Permanent Representation of Switzerland to the FAO, IFAD and WFP, the Permanent Representation of Costa-Rica to the UN Agencies in Rome and the Department of Political Sciences of University of Roma Tre, will present the UNDROP and discuss its contributions to the implementation of the UN Decade of Family Farming.

Welcome by Facilitator

  • Francois Pythoud, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Switzerland

Keynote Speech: The UNDROP

  • Christophe Golay, Senior Research Fellow and Strategic Adviser on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Geneva Academy

Keynote Speech: The UNDROP and the Right to Food

  • Cristiana Carletti, Professor, Dipartimento di Scienze Politiche, Università degli Studi Roma Tre

The UN Decade of Family Farming

  • Marco Vinicio Vargas, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Costa Rica

The Swiss Perspective on the UNDROP

  • Benjamin Müller, Human Right Policy Unit, Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs

Views of Peasants/Farmers

  • Ramona Duminicioiu, Member, Coordination Committee of the European Coordination Via Campesina

Discussion: How UNDROP may contribute to the UN Decade of Family Farming

  • Stephanie Hochstetter, Director Rome-Based Agencies and CFS, WFP
  • Charlotte Salford, Associate Vice President, IFAD
  • Marcela Villareal, Director Partnerships and South-South Cooperation, FAO

Wrap-up and conclusions

  • Amarilli Villegas, Deputy Permanent Representative of Costa Rica to the UN Agencies in Rome

Social event in the garden

The event will be followed from 18:15 to 20:00 by a reception in the gardens of the Istituto Svizzero di Roma, a unique location in the Centre of Rome.

MORE ON THIS THEMATIC AREA

GHRP in Davos News

AI and Human Rights in the Intelligent Age: GHRP in Davos

3 February 2025

The Geneva Human Rights Platform contributed to key discussions on AI, human rights, and sustainable digital governance at the World Economic Forum 2025.

Read more

soldiers News

New Publication Examines the Effects of Private Military and Security Companies

12 March 2025

Our latest research brief examines how Private Military and Security Companies have reshaped warfare, international law, and global stability.

Read more

Open dump Training

Protecting Human Rights and the Environment

15-19 September 2025

Participants in this training course will gain practical insights into UN human rights mechanisms and their role in environmental protection and learn about how to address the interplay between international human rights and environmental law, and explore environmental litigation paths.

Read more

Town Hall Meeting Training

Localizing International Human Rights

8-10 October 2025

This training course, specifically designed for staff of city and regional governments, will explore the means and mechanisms through which local and regional governments can interact with and integrate the recommendations of international human rights bodies in their concrete work at the local level.

Read more

Session of a UN Treaty Body Project

Treaty Bodies Individual Communications Procedures

Started in January 2019

Read more

Sign: National Human Rights Commission of Nepal Project

Local Implementation of Global Human Rights

Started in May 2020

The Geneva Human Rights Platform collaborates with a series of actors to reflect on the implementation of international human rights norms at the local level and propose solutions to improve uptake of recommendations and decisions taken by Geneva-based human rights bodies at the local level.

Read more

Cover of the 2023 Geneva Academy Annual Report Publication

Annual Report 2024

published on July 2025

Read more