United Nations: The garden as a human right

Men and women have been gardening for ages. Indeed, the care with
which food products are planted and cropped has a millenarian
tradition, along with different cultural connotations.

After decades of increasing industrialization of agriculture - with
all the ecological, social and economic implications that came along
with it - gardening has nowadays gained importance which goes beyond
the need for nourishment. Self-handling food products (e.g.
vegetables) has currently achieved significant value, however the
importance of gardening can be extended to the beneficial impact it
has on health, economy and social integration. Indeed, gardening both
allows and promotes a sustainable use of soil, resources and seeds.

Nevertheless, gardening is still not a Human Right. The vast majority
of people do not possess a piece of land and/or live in cities where
gardening is not feasible.

If the right to garden existed, Districts, Regions, States and the
Supranational Institutions should set the conditions able to
guarantee it.


Consequently people would behave more responsibly towards nature and
its goods and, thus, a more equal distribution of these would follow.
Ultimately, the right to garden would fully fit in with the spirit of
the Human Right Declaration ratified by UN.

We, therefore, ask the United Nations to include this Human Right in
the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.