Report of the Special Rapporteur on agricultural workers and the right to food (A/73/164).
Agricultural workers play a critical role in achieving food security and fulfilling the universal human right to adequate food. They are, however, among the most food insecure, facing formidable barriers to the realization of their right to food, often working without labour and employment protections and under dangerous conditions. Despite this vulnerability to food insecurity and human rights violations, the right to food of agricultural workers has not been sufficiently addressed. The present report addresses the rights of agricultural workers on a global scale.
In this report, particular attention is drawn to the dangerous working conditions inherent in the agricultural sector, which not only threaten the lives of agricultural workers, but also undermine their right to food. The report takes a comprehensive look at these challenges and outlines the obligations of States to respect, protect and fulfill the human rights of agricultural workers, including the rights to a living wage, decent and safe working conditions and peaceful assembly and association. It also explores the role of the State in regulating the private sector, as well as the role of businesses and consumers in promoting the rights of supply chain workers. Lastly, the report provides a set of recommendations to States and other stakeholders on how to improve the human rights situation of agricultural workers, with a focus on their right to food in a rapidly changing global food system.
