Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Madame Special Rapporteur,

I have the honor to speak on behalf of the European Union and its Member States.

We commend the significance of this presentation, as it is, in fact, the first report of this working group to the Human Rights Council.

The importance of this report is particularly relevant as it sheds light on a troublesome scenario. Indeed, the vulnerability of people working in rural areas, as highlighted, seems to have showed signs of no improvement since 2022, with a variable concerning impact across states and their respective degree of development as well as in the gender gap.

Furthermore, human rights instruments at our disposal seem to have not yet proven sufficient to guarantee the protection of peasants and other people working in rural areas, while addressing the various forms of discrimination, exploitation and social exclusion to which they have been subjected in many countries.

Madam Rapporteur,

Given the right-so priority you have outlined for this first year in measuring the progress made in the implementation of the Declaration, which methods will you be using when conducting this assessment with Member States and which key metrics will you define to measure improvement?

Thank you.