Human Rights and COP17

At the COP17 International Conference of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), currently being held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, from August 17 to 28, 2026, general reference has been made to several human rights related to land management, such as land rights, women’s rights, and the participation and rights of local and indigenous communities, among others.

Thus, their mention at this Conference serves to link these rights to land and resilience in the face of desertification.

Among the human rights mentioned are:

· Right to land. In the context of COP17, this right is derived from official UNCCD documents, which emphasize that guaranteeing land ownership and use rights is key to combating desertification and strengthening food security; they highlight the need to ensure tenure rights and monitor compliance.

In other words, secure land tenure means that rural communities, indigenous peoples, women, and pastoralists have legal certainty regarding the land they use or own.

· The right to mobility for pastoralists. In the context of COP17, the aim is to recognize this right as essential for maintaining healthy grasslands, producing food, and adapting to climate change.

· Women’s rights. In the context of COP17, emphasis is placed on women’s role as stewards of the land, calling for measurable actions to guarantee ownership and access to resources.

· Participation of indigenous and local communities. In the context of COP17, it is requested that indigenous peoples, farmers, and youth be recognized as active partners with direct access to financing.

· Right to food. In the context of COP17, reference is made to restoring degraded lands while strengthening food systems and ensuring food security.

· Right to water. In the context of COP17, this relates to the protection of water resources from desertification and mining that depletes aquifers.

· Right to a healthy environment. In the context of COP17, this refers to the restoration of ecosystems and protection against extractive projects that accelerate desertification.

These economic and social rights, rights to equality and non-discrimination, rights to participation, and collective rights are essential for comprehensively addressing and resolving the current challenges of land desertification and finding solutions related to sustainability.

These human rights are closely linked to the care, protection, and management of the land.

From a legal perspective, it can be noted that COP17 reinforces the interdependence between economic, social, and cultural rights and environmental protection.

Although the UNCCD is not a human rights treaty, its decisions can influence the progressive interpretation and protection of these rights, especially in relation to land tenure.