The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child has finally published its General Comment No 26 on Children’s Rights and the Environment With a Special Focus on Climate Change.
“[…] Children must be protected from all forms of physical and psychological violence and from exposure to violence, such as domestic violence or violence inflicted on animals.” [1] – United Nations General Comment No 26 on Children’s Rights and the Environment With a Special Focus on Climate Change (G.35., p. 6)
The release of General Comment No 26 is a historic opportunity to take action against animal suffering. For the first time, the United Nations (UN) has referenced animal protection in a legally binding convention.
General comments, released infrequently, provide definitive guidance and clarity as to how nations must act to comply with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child – which governments are placed under “strict obligation” to implement. This convention has been ratified by 196 nations and is the human rights treaty with the largest global consensus.
The general comment states, “Children must be protected from all forms of physical and psychological violence […], such as domestic violence or violence inflicted on animals.” This provides non-governmental organisations around the world an authoritative remit with which to demand that governments introduce policies addressing traditions and practices where children are exposed to violence against animals.
Referencing animal protection in a legally binding UN human rights charter will potentially save millions of animals and protect children from witnessing cruelty to fellow sentient beings – which can cause, among other “harmful effects”, a normalisation of violence that can be carried into adulthood and feed into behaviour that can prove destructive to members of the public and society.
These powerful arguments can be used to take action against violence towards animals, especially at the local level. This charter is binding – so implementation is mandatory!
This historic event – the acknowledgement of the natural empathetic connection between children and animals, and in one of the most globally impactful documents – suggests that a quantum leap in the evolution of our shared humanity is underway.
If enough people and organisations draw attention to the alarming level of violence children are exposed to through cruelty to and the killing of animals and call on governments and states to fulfil their obligation to protect them from such violence, we can bring about historic change in the way our society treats all living, feeling beings.
Torturous traditions must be transformed into compassionate customs, and governments must develop sustainable strategies to curb homeless animal crises and protect children and animals from immense suffering.
Join the Global Launch on 18 September!
The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child will formally launch General Comment No 26 [1] on Monday, 18 September, during the 94th session of the committee at Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. This event will be livestreamed.
The general comment steering group, together with the 13 child advisors who worked with the committee, invite children, young people, and the wider global community to host launch activities on (or around) 18 September.
PETA Germany and the European Link Coalition are looking forward to drawing attention to this significant change for children and animals. Launch activities [1] taking place around the world can show solidarity by using the #GC26 and #ChildRightsEnvironment hashtags.
Will you be part of this global movement and spread the message of protecting animals’ rights?
References
[1] Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, General comment No. 26 (2023) on children’s rights and the environment with a special focus on climate change. Accessed august 28th 2023. https://www.ohchr.org/en/documents/general-comments-and-recommendations/general-comment-no-26-2023-childrens-rights-and
[2] terre des hommes Germany e. V., Unite for children’s environmental rights, Launch of “General Comment No.26 on children’s rights and the environment with a special focus on climate change”, Accessed august 28th 2023, https://childrightsenvironment.org/gc26launch/