"Free Our Women": Strong Statement Made at FAO Conference in Dushanbe
- André Ejankour
- May 12
- 2 min read
On May 11, the 35th Regional Conference of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) for Europe and Central Asia opened in Dushanbe. The forum runs until May 15 and has brought together over 550 delegates from 54 countries, as well as representatives of international and regional organizations.
The main goal of the meeting is to define the strategic priorities of FAO’s work in the region for 2026–2027. The central theme is “Uniting for Sustainability.” The agenda includes climate change, biodiversity conservation, land restoration, financing, the One Health approach, combating transboundary animal diseases, and long-term strategic planning.
However, one of the most resonant moments of the conference came from a civil society representative — Pierre Meysson, speaking on behalf of the Nyéléni International Network.
The network brings together farmers, fishers, herders, pastoralists, Indigenous Peoples, trade unions, environmental and human rights organizations, as well as local food movements.
Its goal is to promote food sovereignty and strengthen civil society’s influence on agricultural and food policy at all levels.
In his speech, Meysson emphasized issues that, he said, remain outside the official agenda: land grabbing, criminalization of activists, and repression against defenders of land and food rights.
“We call for the protection of human rights defenders and Indigenous activists across the region, especially women,” he stated.
He specifically appealed to the international community for the immediate release of three women activists: Daria Egereva and Natalia Leonhardt in Russia, and Isha Isri in Turkey.
According to him, they have been persecuted for defending land rights and food sovereignty.
Meysson also reminded that 2026 has been declared the International Year of Women Farmers, and urged states to comply with international norms, including: the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the Declaration on the Rights of Peasants and Other People Working in Rural Areas, and the right to food.
The speech served as an important reminder that issues of sustainable agriculture and food security are inextricably linked to human rights and the protection of vulnerable communities.
Following the conference, a final report is expected to be adopted, which will define the priorities for countries in the region for the next two years.
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