Document type : news item from the Welfarm website
Author: Welfarm
Preview: In joining this coalition, Welfare is now seeking to extend its international reach. Interview with our Director, Ghislain Zuccolo.
What isthe World Federation for Animals?
Ghislain Zuccolo (GZ): The World Federation for Animals is a global coalition of animal protection associations working to protect farm animals, pets and wild animals. It includes all animals.
The idea behind the creation of such a federation is to provide a platform for the 35,000 animal welfare organisations working around the world to join forces and influence international decision-making. Unlike many sectors, animal welfare organisations had no unified global network until the Federation was established in February 2021. We must recognise that having the leverage to influence political decisions at global level is essential to the advancement of the interests of animals. Federation members will have a major impact on what happens in Europe, in France and even at the level of our towns and cities. We cannot go on working properly for animals today if we ignore what is happening around the world.
In practical terms, what are the aims and operational approach of the Federation?
GZ: The creation of this network makes it possible to increase the influence of the animal protection movement as well as to improve the sharing of information between the various associations so that the interests of animals can be supported with one voice. This unified position will enable the Federation to influence the policies of international organisations such as the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The main goal is to integrate animal welfare into international policies and treaties, including those on pandemic risk-reduction, on the transition to sustainable food systems, and on biodiversity loss.
On the issues being tackled, we join the World Federation in deploring the fact that none of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the UN member states in 2015 specifically take animal welfare into account (Editor's note: the SDGs define 17 cross-cutting priorities to ensure sustainable development by 2030: they form a universal agenda and, as such, influence the priorities and resources allocated by states, companies, investors, etc.). One of the Federation's demands is therefore to recognise an eighteenth SDG on animal welfare, putting animal protection onto the international agenda. The Federation also promotes initiatives such as "One Welfare" which recognises the interdependence of animal and human welfare.
