UNCAHP, One Health, and the Sustainable Development Goals

Abstract

Abstract The United Nations Convention on Animal Health and Protection (UNCAHP) is a proposed convention that aims to provide a global protection to all animals worldwide. This initiative is proposed by the Global Animal Law (GAL) organisation, resulting from the expertise of prominent international animal lawyers. While the United Nations (UN) covers human rights (e.g., the Universal Declaration of Human Rights [UDHR]) and environmental protection (e.g., the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change [UNFCCC]), animal welfare is still absent in the UN agenda. To address this lacuna and to fill the gap for global animal protection covering all categories of animals (companion, farm, lab, sport, and wild) and all aspects of animal protection (wildlife preservation, the welfare of animals, and their fundamental interests), UNCAHP should find its way to the UN. This research article analyses One Health and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as possible avenues for UNCAHP to enter the UN’s door and identifies which one(s) can be the best. In a first step, UNCAHP is analysed and evaluated. In a second step, the pathways of One Health and the SDGs are elaborated. Finally, we provide an overall conclusion dedicated to the main advantages of UNCAHP being adopted by the UN and its implications for global animal welfare worldwide.