Vegan for Humans: 6 Examples of How Veganism Supports Human Rights

Does veganism promote human rights? And if so, how does it actually do so? I have been vegan for many years and often hear that we should take care of people first before we devote ourselves to animal rights. My decision in favor of a plant-based diet and the Veganism - like many others - for both animal rights and human rights.

Vegans stand up for animals in particular because, unlike us humans, they have no rights and not even a voice or language that we understand. Even if animals are no longer considered things, they have no rights and obligations that are legally enforceable.

The great thing is that the decision to adopt a vegan lifestyle - whether consciously or unconsciously - automatically fulfills a large part of the 30 human rights of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights preserved.

In this article, I would like to give you some valuable examples of why you can also be vegan for people and not just for animals. Let's go!

By the way: Also the ethical veganism itself is recognized as a lifestyle or way of life that falls under the protection of Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights as a belief.

How is veganism good for us humans? 6 examples

„All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights."says the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Behind all these rights are basic human needs that are necessary for survival. And "All men are equal before the law." says Article 3 of our Basic Law. So we are protected by the laws.

Unfortunately not animals. Who vegan lives, wants to prioritize the cruelty to animals and end the exploitation of animals. But most people live vegan because both Animals as well as we People and not to forget the Planeton which we dwell together will benefit from this attitude to life.

Here you will now learn some Examples know that as a vegan, you also stand up for people.

1. Vegan to end hunger for everyone

Don't you think strangethat we have enough food to eat every year. 80 billion farm animals but that at the same time more than 733 million people in the world go hungry have to?¹

Seven plant calories are needed to produce one animal calorie.² If you eat a plant-based diet, you avoid the resource-intensive "animal detour" in your own diet. And no one in the world would have to go hungry anymore if all people vegan would feed us.³

The The end of world hunger is therefore a important motif for becoming vegan. For example, start with the Vegan & Easy" cookbook by Bianca Zapatka (is available here*) and take a look at a few Documentaries about factory farming and plant-based nutrition an.

In this regard, veganism promotes the following human right:
"The right to a bed and something to eat. We all have the right to a decent standard of living, even if we can no longer earn money. That includes shelter, food, clothing and medical care."

2. Vegan for the workers in the meat industry

The meat industry system and Factory Farming is a System of exploitation and intimidation. In most cases, cheap labor from Romania, Hungary or Bulgaria is used, who have no choice but to do this job.

They work under the most appalling conditions: Get up at night, 10-12 hours a day, 6 days a week - for €1200 gross. Costs for accommodation, car travel and work clothes are even deducted.

Added to this are the acts committed on the farms, ranging from cruelty to animals to the bloody slaughter of many living creatures. Post-traumatic Stress disorders and psychoses are a logical consequence.⁴ This is because not all employees manage to kill the animal. no longer be regarded as a sentient being.

We would never wish this job on ourselves or our own child. But whether "organic" or not, eating meat or animal products makes this job necessary. As a vegan, you therefore stand up for the human rights of slaughterhouse workers.

What else you can do against the factory farming systemyou can read in the linked article.

In this regard, veganism promotes the following human rights:

"The right to work. Every adult has the right to work and to fair and equal pay for equal work. And he has the right to join a union."

"The right to social security. We all have the right to social security. That includes affordable housing as well as youth services and affordable health care."

"Our responsibilities. We all have duties to other people as well. We should protect their rights and freedoms."

3. Vegan against crime, racism, murder, and brutality among humans

Or in short: Vegan for peaceful coexistence with one another. How is that supposed to work? Racism, sexism, oppression, imprisonment, torture, violent crime - the list of injustices in our society may be endless. But the Veganism brings human values such as mercy, respect, compassion, love and equality back to the forefront

Equality above all because Speciesismthat we pet some animals (dogs, cats...) and eat others (cows, pigs, chickens...), a Injustice that you eliminate as a vegan. You simply understand all Animals as sentient beingswho want to suffer or die just as little as we humans do.

And what effect will veganism have on our social interaction if we no longer even harm animals? The psychological hurdle of causing pain to another person would be many times greater - and fairer dealings with one another is the expected result.

To question the habit of "eating meat", I can warmly recommend the Book "Eating animals" by Jonathan Safran Foer* recommend. It also helps you to understand what we eat and why.

In this regard, veganism promotes the following human rights:

"No one should be treated differently for no reason."

"Slavery is forbidden. No one has the right to enslave us."

"No one should be tortured."

"No Unjust Imprisonment."

"Innocent until proven guilty. No one may be called guilty until proven guilty."

"A free and just world. Everyone has the right to a society and to a world in which human rights and freedoms can be realized."

Tip: At Factory Farming & Holocaust you will find a memorable Interview with Holocaust survivor Alex Hershaft, who is a strong advocate for a vegan lifestyle because he recognizes many parallels of concentration camps and the way farm animals are kept today.

4. Vegan for indigenous peoples of the rainforests

Factory farming is a major driver of the Deforestation of the rainforests, which must give way to pasture and make way for the cultivation of high-protein soy as animal feed. Every minute, around 30 soccer field-sized areas of the unique rainforests are cut down.⁵

This not only speeds up the Species Extinctionbut also deprives indigenous peoples of their homes. For example, the deforestation of the Amazon rainforest is primarily affecting Brazil's indigenous population (including the Yanomami, Kayapo and Ashaninka), who are being displaced by the large demolition machines and the reckless behavior of the forest workers is threatened.

As a vegan, you are also standing up for the rights of these people, as you are supporting their Habitat protect. What else you can do for ethnic groups in the tropics and for the Saving the rainforests you can find out in the linked article.

In this regard, veganism promotes the following human rights:

"All people have a right to life."

"Our responsibilities. We all have duties to other people as well. We should protect their rights and freedoms."

5. Vegan to fight water scarcity

Including water consumption for animal feed production, the meat and dairy industries are responsible for 27 percent of global freshwater consumption.⁶ Alone to produce one kilogram of beef are more than 15,000 liters of water necessary. That's about 120 full bathtubs.

This is also referred to as virtual water consumptionwhich does not come directly from the tap in our kitchens, but is needed in the production of the preferred foods.

So when we eat meat, it is a real, resource-intensive privilege. Ultimately, we live with it at the expense of nature and other peoplewhich suffer from drought and Water Shortage suffer and have to hope every day to get enough Drink water to be able

Let's not misunderstand each other: Avocados and some other plant-based foods also consume a lot of water. But the "animal detour" takes it to the extreme and is a guarantee.

This is another reason why, as a vegan, you also stand up for human rights. You want to be the Counteracting water scarcity? Then check your personal Water Footprint and improve it by using the knowledge and recipes from the Book "Vegan nutrition for beginners" by Niko Rittenau and Sebastian Copien (is available here*) into action.

In this regard, veganism promotes the following human rights:

Right to "safe and clean drinking water and sanitation" (United Nations General Assembly June 28, 2010).

6. Vegan against climate change and its impact on all people

About 15 percent of all greenhouse gases caused by humans worldwideare solely due to livestock farming.⁷ Emissions of climate-damaging gases (especially CO2 and methane) are a key driver of climate change. Climate change - so of the biggest environmental problem of our time.

Global warming affects all people and all life on the planet. It is not only accelerating water scarcity, but is also causing Crop failures, food shortages, floods, storms and Dryness. The number of climate-related natural disasters has tripled since 1980.⁸

In the end, millions of livelihoods perish under it - and it comes to Fleeing one's own country for ecological reasons. Climate change ultimately affects the lives of all people, as it promotes inequality, discrimination and injustice in the world.

While meat eaters:in around 1,950 kilograms of CO2 per year for your own eating habits into the atmosphere, vegans get by with less than half.⁹ An important impetus for the protection of human rights.

When you Help people and Stop climate change If you want to make the switch to a plant-based diet, this is a massive lever. Now try to start with the Book "Vegan is nonsense (is available here*) the last Prejudices about veganism and pave your way to an animal- and people-friendly way of life.

In this regard, veganism promotes the following human rights:

"All people have a right to life. We all have a right to life and a right to live in freedom and in safety."

"The right to social security. We all have the right to social security. That includes affordable housing as well as youth services and affordable health care."

(Basically, however, climate change threatens all civil, political, economic, cultural and social human rights.)

Veganism promotes human rights and improves our coexistence

Even though veganism is primarily against the exploitation of animals, vegans are of course not indifferent to human rights - quite the opposite!

In the end, the more people eat a plant-based diet, the better off all living things on earth will be. Because we Deal with each other more peacefullybecause fewer animals have to suffer and because we are protecting the only planet we live on.

This article was really close to my heart - just like all the rights of animals and us humans. And I hope that I have been able to convince you of the benefits of a plant-based diet.

To get you off to a good start, I would like to conclude with the Vegan & Easy" cookbook (is available here*) also my article about Typical rookie mistakes made by vegans to your heart. Avoid them directly, then it's even easier. 🙂

"I'm vegan because I'm pro-life. For the animals, for the people, for the planet."

Ariane Sommer (more at Animal welfare quotes)

Do you have any questions or can you think of other things to say about veganism and human rights? Then just write me a comment.

Stay compassionate,

PS: You are welcome to have a look at my Sustainability Blog around. There you will learn, for example, for which reasons I still live vegan.

References:

1. Deutsche Welthungerhilfe e.V.: Hunger: Spread, Causes & Consequences, available at https://www.welthungerhilfe.de/hunger. [13.02.2025]. ↩︎
2. Verbraucherzentrale Hamburg e. V.: Climate-friendly eating - here's how!, available at https://www.vzhh.de/themen/lebensmittel-ernaehrung/klimafreundliche-ernaehrung/klimafreundlich-essen-so-gehts. [13.02.2025]. ↩︎
3. M. Berners-Lee, C. Kennelly, R. Watson; et al. (2018): Current global food production is sufficient... , available at https://online.ucpress.edu/elementa/article/doi/10.1525/elementa.310/112838/Current-global-food-production-is-sufficient-to. [13.02.2025]. ↩︎
4. Carina Pachner, Michael Unger: Arbeiten im Schlachthof (as of 22.01.2024), available at https://t1p.de/al4b. [13.02.2025]. ↩︎
5. Umwelthelden e.V.: The rainforest is being destroyed (as of October 2024), available at https://www.abenteuer-regenwald.de/wissen/abholzung. [13.02.2025]. ↩︎
6. Dinge erklärt - Kurzgesagt: Fleisch - Das leckerste Übel der Welt, YouTube, 24.01.2019, Web, 13.02.2025 at 09:21, in: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6f3dwxexZM. ↩︎
7. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO): livestock's long shadow environmental issues and options, available at https://t1p.de/2044. [13.02.2025]. ↩︎
8. National Geographic: 7 facts about climate change, available at https://www.nationalgeographic.de/7-fakten-zum-klimawandel. [13.02.2025]. ↩︎
9. S. Keull: Cattle, our diet and the carbon footprint (as of November 2021), available at https://www.wissenmachtklima.de/das-rind-unsere-ernaehrung-und-die-co₂-bilanz. [13.02.2025]. ↩︎