UNCAHP's 10 key objectives:
- Make animal protection a global imperative at the UN.
- Make animal protection a common goal for all Nations.
- Allow all animals to be considered and protected in a unique convention.
- Protect animal health globally.
- Protect animal species globally.
- Protect animal welfare globally.
- Protect animal interests globally (for instance: interest to live, to be free, well-treated, to be represented).
- Strengthen human obligations of responsibility, care and assistance towards animals.
- State legal principles of non-cruelty and good treatment for all animals in all countries.
- Promote the research of alternatives to animal products and exploitation.
As a global instrument, it is:
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Universal: It concerns and applies to all countries in the world at the UN (being the only universal organization with 193 sovereign States to date).
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All-encompassing: It concerns all categories of animals (i.e. companion, farmed, lab, sports and wild animals).
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Holistic: It positions animal protection in the global picture of environmental and human protection through the One Health/One Welfare approach.
As a framework-convention, it is:
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Legally-binding: To all member states (having the power of a treaty, as opposed to declarations of principles or international recommendations).
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Consensual: It contains internationally agreed principles; For example, in framework of the OIE with the 5 freedoms and 3Rs (Art. 2 UNCAHP) and general principles of animal
law, i.e. non-cruelty and good-treatment (Art. 4 UNCAHP).
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Evolutive: It contains principles that are already embodied in many national laws such as the obligations of responsibility, care and assistance, and the recognition of
animal sentience and dignity (Arts. 1 & 3 UNCAHP). It also includes far-reaching principles, that are adapted to progressive evolutions, such as the protection of animals’ fundamental
interests and the research of alternatives to animal products and exploitation (Arts. 5 & 6 UNCAHP).