Declaration of 3rd Intl. Youth Assembly of Via Campesina

[frank gundry-white]

This is something interesting to read from the 
wider network and a good foundation for anyone wanting to kick start a campaign

Declaration of the 3rd International Youth Assembly of the Via Campesina
  8th and 9th June 2013 - Jakarta, Indonesia
<http://tv.viacampesina.org/Por-la-soberania-alimentaria-la?lang=en>Watch 
the pictures of the Youth Assembly!
We are young peasants, members of the Via 
Campesina, people with different cultures and 
languages from over seventy countries in five 
continents, who are in Jakarta, Indonesia, to 
celebrate the 3rd International Youth Assembly 
and the 20th anniversary of the Via Campesina.
  As young peasants, we are the present and the 
future of sustainable agriculture, which can 
sustain the world and cool Mother Earth. Having 
analysed and reflected generally on the global 
political and economic situation, we would like 
to express our deep concern about the current 
development crisis, which is causing many 
impoverished and marginalised communities to be 
expropriated of the territory, land, water and 
forest goods on which they depend for their 
livelihood. There has been an increase in the 
number of forced displacements and evictions of 
young peasants, and an increase in hunger and poverty.
  For this reason, to restore the dignity of 
peasants and agriculture itself, and to encourage 
a holistic concept of food sovereignty through 
agro-ecology, we, as young peasants, will continue to fight against:

    * Neoliberalism, capitalism and imperialism, 
which divide peoples and prevent them from 
uniting to rebel, while their sovereignty as 
peoples and nations is being destroyed. A 
patriarchy that oppresses women and the independence of young people.
    * Industrial agriculture and land grabbing 
directed by multinational corporations and local 
and national government, which destroys ways of 
life and the cultural heritage of peasants, also 
causing the forced displacement of young peasants in rural areas.
    * All types of Free Trade Agreement (FTA) 
including Transnational Partnership Agreements 
(TPAs), Economic Association Agreements and 
agricultural policies imposed by the World Trade 
Organisation (WTO), the International Monetary 
Fund (IMF) and the World Bank (WB). These 
agreements destroy the agricultural base that 
provides local communities with secure, healthy 
and culturally appropriate food, and they violate 
peoples' right to plan and control their food systems.
    * Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) and 
patents on seeds, species and biological diversity.
    * Privatisation of natural goods such as 
territory, land, woods and water, which causes 
forced displacement of peasants and original 
peoples, endangering their livelihoods.
We demand that states and governments recognise, 
comply with and regulate food sovereignty in the 
constitutions of all countries as a basic human 
right. We also demand that the organisations and 
authorities that are involved and have 
responsibility take the following action:
    * Put food sovereignty into practice by 
implementing holistic agrarian reform, and 
broad-based agroecological reform in the area of 
fishing and silviculture, to ensure equal access 
to natural goods for young people, particularly young women.
    * End land grabbing and conversion in the 
name of development following the “Green 
Economy" model of agricultural food production, 
and production of bio fuels and monocultures that 
are structural causes of climate change and the energy crisis.
    * Protect and promote traditional seeds and 
the knowledge and wisdom of our peasant communities.
    * Promote a model that favours people, led by 
peasants and in accordance with the agroecological and indigenous model.
    * Ensure market access for poor and 
marginalised people and a fair price for their 
products, keeping the WTO out of agriculture.
    * Ensure that young people have access to a 
secure future, both in rural and urban areas, 
also promoting sustainable job opportunities for 
young people to reduce migration to urban areas.
    * Stop criminalisation of protest, repression 
of social movements, murder and extermination of 
young peasants, while respecting human rights and 
those who defend them. They must also condemn 
militarisation, which is worsening living 
conditions for the poor in our regions, and 
establish an education system that supports young 
people who want to be peasants.
    * Dedicate a greater proportion of the budget 
to agricultural sectors to support young people 
in production, and education and access to technology in rural areas.
    * Provide a space for representation of young 
people in leadership and create a suitable 
environment to empower and support them, so they 
can show that young people can bring about change in agriculture.


In addition to these demands, we also make the following commitments:
    * We will create solidarity between regions 
that put alternative models into practice in 
opposition to the neoliberal model, in accordance 
with the principles of complementarity and 
cooperation to overcome social inequality.

    * We will set up an accessible political 
group for young people and practical people’s 
education on peasant and ecological agriculture.

    * We will promote communication between young 
people from different organisations and creation 
and strengthening of people’s alternative 
communication networks that will be political, creative and transformative.

    * We will strengthen the coordination of 
young people’s activities at a regional and global level.

    * Political participation and training for 
young people in organisations and genuine prominence.

    * We will coordinate political, social and 
cultural alliances and relations between young 
people from rural and urban areas around the 
world for social change and transformation.

    * We will create and strengthen spaces for 
political and technical training in the area of 
agroecological production and local markets with social justice.

    * We will show solidarity with all peoples 
who are involved in resistance and struggles for 
their right to life and their freedom anywhere in the world.

The Youth of the Via Campesina will fight for Food Sovereignty!


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