Appeal by Ramesh Sharma (Ekta Parishad ) to organizations participating in the Forum to submit suggestions for the inclusion of UNDROP resolutions in the ICESCR

"Hello everyone, it’s great to see the online forum being used actively!

I wanted to draw everyone’s attention to an interesting process that is currently taking place within the United Nations that relates to land and the governance of tenure. The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) that monitors the implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, is currently in the process of preparing a draft General Comment (26) to clarify the specific obligations of state parties relating to land and the governance of land tenure within the International Covenant. The draft GC recognises the broad and complex relationship between land and human rights. It proposes more general and holistic guidance for policy in this area than has previously been available. Consequently, if and when adopted, the draft general comment is likely to influence policy and law on land governance and management in many member states. While the draft GC specifies that the Covenant does not enshrine a ‘Right to Land’,it makes it clear that for certain groups such as peasants the right to land is indispensable for the realisation of their rights in the Covenant.

My organisation, Ekta Parishad, recently signed a joint submission to the Committee calling for the systematic inclusion of all parts of the recently adopted United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Peasants and Other Rural People (UNDROP), including recognition of the right to land, non-discrimination, rights of rural women, protection against forced eviction, displacement and exploitation of land, rights to agrarian reform, conservation and sustainable use of land, consultation, participation and transparency, access to justice and redress.

The Committee is currently inviting interested individuals and organisations, including States, national human rights institutions, civil society organisations, academics, international and regional organisations and experts, to provide written input to the draft. In case you wish to make such a submission, the deadline has been extended to 15 August 2021. The latest version of the draft CG, Ekta Parishad's joint submission (joint_GA and other contribution) and information about submissions can be found here."

Posted on the Forum on 27/07/2021