Pesticides and Human Rights

OTA and OPAWG are reframing the issue of pesticide exposures as a violation of basic human rights.  Addressing pesticides under a human rights framework is expressed in treaties such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Convention on the Rights of the Child and The Nuremberg Code, all signed by governments throughout the world, including the United States.

Reframing pesticide exposures as a violation of basic human rights is an original and pioneering grassroots action that will give voice and validity to Oregonians who continue to suffer from unwanted pesticide exposure.  OTA commissioned two reports from The Environment and Human Rights Advisory, a non-profit that provides analysis services regarding the human rights dimensions of community issues.  The reports were submitted as testimony to the Oregon Transportation Commission and testimony to the Lane County Board of Health.  Both reports served as important tools in achieving the desired policy change to reduce or eliminate the use of pesticides along county roads and state highways!

Tom Kerns, PhD* spoke to the (Eugene, OR) Southeast Neighbors meeting on environment and human rights on May 5, 2009

*Tom Kerns, PhD is a board member of the Oregon Toxics Alliance and Executive Director of Environment and Human Rights Advisory. Dr. Kerns is also Philosophy Professor at Seattle Community College and teaches online courses, including Introduction to Bioethics and Environment and Human Rights. He is author of Environmentally Induced Illnesses: Ethics, Risk Assessment and Human Rights (McFarland, 2001) and served as commissioner on the New Zealand People’s Inquiry in 2006.