“Urging UN Sec-Gen to call on India to repeal farm laws and consult with farmers”, February 2020

We urge the United Nations Secretary-General to call upon India to repeal the three Farm Laws as they breach International treaties signed by India…

We the following organisations and individuals urge the Secretary-General of the United Nations to call on the Indian Government to observe its commitments to international treaties that it is a signatory … The right of every human being to an independent judicial process as guaranteed under UDHR is being eroded under the new Three Farm Laws…

In the ground breaking 2018 United Nations Declaration of Rights of Peasants, (UNDROP) … there is a requirement on States to set up an independent evaluation of produce. In India, it is called Minimum Support Price…

A very important commitment in UNDROP is for governments to consult farmers before enacting policies and laws. The govt has failed to do this, breaching its commitments under UNDROP. The laws favour the large corporate to drive small farms out of business with the inevitable rise in unemployment, poverty and damage to the environment … The farmers are demanding the Government withdraw all the three laws and start the reforms afresh with genuine consultation engaging all those affected by these laws.

On the 75th anniversary of the UN, we urge you to persuade the Indian Government to repeal the laws, observe its commitment under UNDROP, start any reforms with genuine consultations to be consistent with UNDROP and uphold fundamental human rights.