Members

The Working Group is composed of 5 independent experts of balanced geographical representation, working collectively as a group and producing work in the name of the mandate. Members are elected by the Human Rights Council for a period of 3 years, which can be renewed once for an additional 3 years.

Current members

Ms. Shalmali GUTTAL (India), Chair-Rapporteur

Ms. Guttal is a policy researcher, analyst and popular educator with over 30 years of experience in the defence of human rights.  She collaborates closely with rural communities, organizations of small-scale food producers, workers, women and indigenous peoples, and civil society and human rights organizations. Her areas of work include food sovereignty, land governance, agrarian reform, gender equality, trade, investment, and post-conflict transitions.  She has written and presented extensively on the right to food, food sovereignty, rural development, land governance, gender equality, and impacts of economic policies on human rights.  She works with Focus on the Global South and is a member of the International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems (IPES-Food).

Mr. Davit HAKOBYAN (Armenia), Vice-Chair

Mr. Hakobyan is a multidisciplinary academic and Armenian-qualified lawyer with over 15 years of experience in international law and human rights. A graduate of Yerevan State University in Armenia (PhD), and University Paris 1 Pantheon-Sorbonne (LLM), Mr Hakobyan is a Head of the Research Group of the Comparative Legal Studies and Internationalisation of Law at the Institute of Philosophy, Sociology, and Law, National Academy of Sciences of Armenia. His research focuses on human rights in business, social and environmental rights, universal common goods. He also teaches International Economic Law at the French University in Armenia. Mr. Hakobyan has served as Chairman of the Armenian State Commission for Constitutional Reform. His work addresses peasants’ rights through business compliance, human rights due diligence, and the implementation of UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

Ms. Geneviève SAVIGNY (France), Vice-Chair

Ms. Savigny is a peasant and is a member of the La Vía Campesina organization. She has extensive practical training in international human rights. Ms. Genevieve contributed to the first intergovernmental working group in July 2013 (OEIWG) to present the situation of European peasants. She has participated in the negotiations for the Declaration on the Rights of Peasants and Other Rural Workers (UNDROP) since the beginning, with a focus on European agriculture.

Mr. Carlos DUARTE (Colombia)

Mr. Duarte is a professor and coordinator of the Line of Applied Research in Rural Development and Land Management at the Institute of Intercultural Studies of the Javeriana University of Cali.  Member of the Commission of experts that developed the concept of peasantry in Colombia. He helped design categories for the self-identification of peasants for the National Institute of Statistics of Colombia. He advises peasant organizations CNA, ANZORC and ANUC in their engagement with the Colombian State. Mr. Duarte also has experience in the management of territorial, interethnic and intercultural conflicts for the National Land Agency in Colombia.

Ms. Uche Ewelukwa OFODILE (Nigeria)

Is  E.J. Ball Professor of Law at the University of Arkansas School of Law and a Senior Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School (HKS). She is a recognized expert in int'l human rights law, international trade/investment law, int'l food law and intellectual property law. Doctorate (PH.D) degree in law from Harvard Law School. Focused on international law. Prof. Ofodile's knowledge and expertise has been acquired through many years of study, research, work with NGOs (Human Rights Watch), grassroots advocacy efforts, and work with various international organizations (e.g. UNCTAD) and grassroots organizations.