Event Conference
Our Seeds, Our Rights, Our Future: Resisting the Criminalization of Peasant Seeds | HRC63 Side Event
17 Sep 2026
13:00 – 14:00
Venue: Palais des Nations, Room XI
Organization: FIAN International, CETIM, La Via Campesina, Rights-Based and Agroecological Initiatives for Sustainability and Equity Initiative, Friends of the Declaration
This side event to the 63rd session session of the Human Rights Council (HRC63) will explore how peasants’ seed systems relate to human rights obligations defined in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Peasants and Other People Working in Rural Areas (UNDROP). This side event is organized by FIAN International, CETIM, La Via Campesina, RAISE and the Friends of the UNDROP.
About this Event
Seeds are the foundation of diverse and agroecological food systems. This side event will explore how peasants’ seed systems relate to human rights obligations defined in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Peasants and Other People Working in Rural Areas (UNDROP). It will provide rural community testimonies on the many challenges that they face, and show how peasants’ seed systems help to restore biodiversity and support the transition to agroecology. This event will offer a space of dialogue between experts, rights-holders and States, to explore common paths towards a better protection of the right to seeds.
Interpretation in English and Spanish will be available.
Speakers
- Ms. Isabel Villalba | Sindicato Labrego Galego-Comisións Labregas – Galicia, Spain
- Mr. Diego Monton | Movimiento Nacional Campesino Indigena – Somos Tierra – Argentina
- Ms. Elizabeth Mpofu | Zimbabwe Small Holder Organic Farmers’ Forum (ZIMSOFF) – Zimbabwe
- Mr. Zainal Arifin Fuat | Serikat Petani Indonesi, Indonesia Peasant Union
- Ms. Shalmali Guttal | Chair of the UN Working Group on UNDROP
- Ms. Glory Lueong | FIAN International
- Mr. Olmer Torrejón, Minister Counsellor of the Plurinational State of Bolivia
- Moderator: Christophe Golay | FIAN Switzerland
Environment @ HRC63
The 63rd regular session of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC63) will take place in Geneva from 7 September to 7 October 2026. Consult this regularly-updated page that highlighted the environmental-related activities of this session.
Participation
This event is to participants accredited to the 63rd session of the Human Rights Council.
Video
Live from Palais des Nations