Our Living World Constitution:
Charter for Human and Environmental Rights
Posted on 16 April 2019
Whereas our well-being relies upon the collective well-being of all humanity, all living beings, and our greater home: the planet Earth, and that securing this well-being is critical to human survival, we deem it necessary to make human and environmental rights core elements of the Australian Constitution.
Article 1.
Australia played a significant role in the foundation of the United Nations. We respect its purposes and principles. Further to the formation of this organisation was the forging of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Such a document is foundational to a functioning democracy and the capacity of nations to peacefully interact. Australia had a hand in writing this document and subsequently signed it. It is long past time we honoured this declaration and came in line with its principles, which we have internationally claimed to support. As such we hereby establish the Universal Declaration of Human Rights within the Australian Constitution.
Article 2.
Furthermore, human rights are directly affected by the state of the environment. The Declaration of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment (Stockholm Declaration) states that humanity has “the fundamental right to freedom, equality, and adequate conditions of life” and that we bear “a solemn responsibility to protect the environment for present and future generations.” Therefore, we hereby establish the United Nations World Charter for Nature within the Australian Constitution.
Article 3.
These two documents will from here on be central to our considerations in making and adjudicating law, and guide us in our relations with the rest of the world.
Article 4.
Our agreements with the United Nations are done out of a sense of collective responsibility. It is important to us as a nation to act with integrity and to maintain an international reputation for integrity. As such we will acknowledge and honour our agreements with the United Nations, and work toward furthering its purpose of establishing and maintaining national and international peace.
Article 5.
In these unstable times we would also encourage the creation of a democratically elected United Nations Parliamentary Assembly. Australia would be proud to once again be foundational to creating a body whose purpose is to ensure the betterment of humanity and our living world.
Other articles in this series:
- The Proposal
- Introduction
- Charter for Human and Environmental Rights
- Charter for Economic Rights: Preamble
- Charter for Economic Rights: Articles 1-5
- Charter for Economic Rights: Articles 6-9
- Charter for Economic Rights: Articles 10-15
- Charter for Economic Rights: Articles 16-20
- Charter for Economic Rights: Articles 21-26
In peace and kindness,
Katherine
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