Declaration of the Rights of Elephants
PREAMBLE:
When, in the course of history, it has become clear that human beings are neither the center of the Universe nor the only worthy beings on this planet, it becomes necessary to extend the protection afforded by personhood to living beings other than human beings, thus fostering a peaceful co-existence among all living beings as well as respect for their inherent value and life.
Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the inalienable rights of all sentient beings is the foundation of a healthy and balanced environment and a world without human-animal conflict;
Whereas it is necessary for the recognition of the basic rights of animals to ensure they have a dignified life and to avoid their being abused and neglected in the utilization of shared resources and habitats;
Whereas, specifically, the disregard and contempt for rights of elephants have resulted in barbarous and unjustifiable atrocities being committed on them with utter neglect towards their suffering, thus necessitating the enforcement of such rights as the elephants inherently deserve while equally inheriting this world with other living beings and being stakeholders in the future of our planet;
Whereas human beings massacre free-living elephants for their tusks, skin and body parts, and arbitrarily and systematically on a large scale capture them from their natural habitats and enslave them for commercial, and private uses, resulting in loss of historic migration routes of elephants, loss of their shared knowledge and traditional wisdom integral for their long-term survival, loss of opportunity to mingle with other populations for their species survival and enormous casualties by being hit by trains, poisoning, and electrical lines;
Whereas, those elephants that have been kept captive for use by humans for entertainment in zoos and circuses; for religious rituals or for offering rides to tourists have their well-being
severely compromised by being subject to extreme control by means of inflicting extreme abuse to develop fear psychosis in them;
Whereas such life lacks dignity, and an opportunity for the elephants to enjoy the natural world they were born into;
Whereas it is important to promote a harmonious and a compassionate relationship between human beings and elephants;
Whereas it is recognized that elephant societies are heavily dependent on cultural transmission and that elephants have social behaviors and interactions similar to humans such as nurturing young ones, building kinship, altruism, hierarchies, and grief;
Now, therefore,
We, the people, recognise the inherent value that the Elephant has and hereby proclaim this Declaration of the Rights of Elephants:
Elephants possess the right to a dignified life
Elephants feel pain and suffering and are masters of their own will. It is recognized that human beings are not the owners of their lives and cannot deprive them of their right to life and freedom. Moreover, life does not mean mere existence but a quality or dignified life and human beings cannot deprive elephants of their dignity.
Right to bodily liberty, integrity, and autonomy
Recognition is given to the fact that elephants possess autonomy of acts and thereby are beings of their own will who have the right to liberty and hence must have access to environment where there is freedom to express, without external hindrances, their true personalities and achieve, to the fullest, their natural zest for freedom and growth.
Right against commercial exploitation, torture, cruel and degrading treatment
Human beings are not the masters of nature and for a peaceful coexistence, it is imperative to ensure that no elephant is held in slavery or servitude or made to suffer arbitrarily for the personal or collective gains of human beings.
Right to the physical and mental well-being
It is essential to also provide an environment which promotes healthy physical and mental well-being for elephants and human beings cannot, for self-interest, harm the environment over which no individualistic claim can be made by one species.
Right to interact and socialize with other elephants
Elephants are social beings and hence have the right to interact and socialize, in a natural manner, with others of their own species.
Right to equal consideration of interests
In case the above rights might conflict with the rights of other humans or non-humans, the conflicts will have to be resolved based on the principle of the equal consideration of interests.
We, the people, proclaim to undertake, as individuals and as organs of a common society, a step forward in the direction of promoting the interests of animals and to that effect, promote the rights and freedom of elephants by progressive measures.
August 2018, New Delhi, India
Declaration supported by:
- Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisations (FIAPO) through Varda Mehrotra, Executive Director
- Vivek Menon, Founder, Trustee, Executive Director, and CEO – Wildlife Trust of India
- AJT Johnsingh, Distinguished Wildlife Biologist
- Peter Singer, Ira W. DeCamp Professor of Bioethics, University Centre for Human Values, Princeton University, and Laureate Professor, School of Historical and Philosophical Studies, University of Melbourne
- S. Chinny Krishna, Co-founder, Blue Cross of India
- Surendra Varma, Research Scientist, Asian Nature Conservation Foundation
- Suparna Ganguly, Honorary President, Wildlife Rescue, and Rehabilitation Centre and Co-Founder Trustee, Compassion Unlimited Plus Action
- Anjali Gopalan, Founder and Executive Director, Naz Foundation
- Avdhash Kaushal, Chairperson, Rural Litigation and Entitlement Kendra
- Paola Cavalieri, Co-Founder, The Great Ape Project
- Kuntal Joisher, Passionate Vegan and Mountaineer
- Christine Townend, Co-founder, Working for Animals
- Anand Jacob, Trustee, Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre
- Colonel Dr. Navaz Shariff, General Manager, and Chief Veterinarian, People for Animals Bangalore
- Gautam Sonti, Filmmaker
- Nirupama Sarma, Co-Founder, and Filmmaker
- Siddhartha K Garg, Co-Founder, and Director, Angel Trust
- Aashray, Jaipur
- Aashray for Sick and Helpless Animals
- Action for Protection of Wild Animals (APOWA)
- All Creatures Great and Small
- Alliance of Animals and People
- Amma Care Foundation
- Angel Eyes
- Animal Aid Charitable Trust
- Animal Birds Nature Foundation
- Animal Care Land Society
- Animal Friends Welfare Public Society, Thane
- Animal India Trust
- Animal Shelter, Agonda
- Animal Welfare Association, Panchkula
- Animal Welfare Society
- Animal and Plants Welfare Trust (APWT)
- ARTH Foundation
- Association for Service and Healing of Animals (ASHA)
- Bark India Charitable Trust
- Bharti Foundation (Wordly Wags)
- Blue Cross of Hyderabad
- Blue Cross of India
- Bombay Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (BSPCA)
- Casper’s Home Trust
- Charitable Welfare Society for Humankind and Animals
- Compassion Unlimited Plus Action (CUPA)
- Compassionate Living
- Compassionate Society for Animals
- Darjeeling Animal Shelter
- Daya Muvattupuzha
- Dharamsala Animal Rescue Trust
- Foundation for Animals
- Goa Animal Welfare Trust (GAWT)
- GOAL (Group of Animals Lovers) Foundation
- Gujarat SPCA
- Help in Suffering
- Humane Animal Society
- In Defence of Animals
- Indian Canine Upliftment Centre (ICUC)
- India Project for Animals and Nature (IPAN)
- Indian Society for Human-Animal Welfare
- Indian Vegan Society
- Institute of Jeevakarunyam and Research
- Blue Cross of India
- Bombay Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (BSPCA)
- Casper’s Home Trust
- Charitable Welfare Society for Humankind and Animals
- Compassion Unlimited Plus Action (CUPA)
- Compassionate Living
- Compassionate Society for Animals
- Darjeeling Animal Shelter
- Daya Muvattupuzha
- Dharamsala Animal Rescue Trust
- Foundation for Animals
- Goa Animal Welfare Trust (GAWT)
- GOAL (Group of Animals Lovers) Foundation
- Gujarat SPCA
- Help in Suffering
- Humane Animal Society
- In Defence of Animals
- Indian Canine Upliftment Centre (ICUC)
- India Project for Animals and Nature (IPAN)
- Indian Society for Human-Animal Welfare
- Indian Vegan Society
- Institute of Jeevakarunyam and Research
- People for Animals, Hyderabad and Secunderabad
- People for Animals, Kollam
- People for Animals, Morena
- People for Animals, Odisha
- People for Animals, Odisha (Nayagarha)
- People for Animals, Patna
- People for Animals, Raipur Unit 2
- People for Animals, Sirohi
- People for Animals, Trivandrum
- People for Animals, Uttar Dinajpur
- People for Animals, Wardha
- People For Cattle in India (PFCI)
- Plant and Animal Welfare Society - Mumbai
- Plant and Animals Welfare Society (PAWS)
- Prayas Team Environment Charitable Trust
- RAKSHA
- Ramaiya Charitable Foundation
- Resqink Association for Wildlife Welfare (RAWW)
- Samabhava
- Sanctified Terra for Rueful Animals Society (STRAY)
- Sansthanam – Abhay Daanam Charitable Bird Hospital
- Saare Jahan Se Acha
- Save Animals Value Environment
- Save Our Strays
- Seva Samarpan Foundation
- SHARAN
- Shree Karuna Foundation Trust
- Society for Animal Welfare
- SPCA Noida
- Spreading Awareness on Reptiles and Rehabilitation Programme (S.A.R.R.P)
- Stray Relief and Animal Welfare (STRAW)
- Tails of Compassion (TOC)
- Thane SPCA
- The CJ Memorial Trust
- Tibetan Animal Lovers
- Tinku Memorial Trust
- Tree of Life for Animals (TOLFA)
- Vets Beyond Borders India Charitable Trust
- Vishnu Charitable Trust
- Welfare for Animals in Goa (WAG) Trust
- The welfare of Stray Dogs
- Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre (WRRC)
- The world for All Animal Care and Adoptions
- World Veterinary Services India (WVS)
- Save Animals Value Environment
- Save Our Strays
- Seva Samarpan Foundation
- SHARAN
- Shree Karuna Foundation Trust
- Society for Animal Welfare
- SPCA Noida
- Spreading Awareness on Reptiles and Rehabilitation Programme (S.A.R.R.P)
- Stray Relief and Animal Welfare (STRAW)
- Tails of Compassion (TOC)
- Thane SPCA
- The CJ Memorial Trust
- Tibetan Animal Lovers
- Tinku Memorial Trust
- Tree of Life for Animals (TOLFA)
- Vets Beyond Borders India Charitable Trust
- Vishnu Charitable Trust
- Welfare for Animals in Goa (WAG) Trust
- The welfare of Stray Dogs
- Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre (WRRC)
- The world for All Animal Care and Adoptions
- World Veterinary Services India (WVS)