Conservation and human rights: the important nexus in South Africa

Abstract

The nexus or intersection of human rights and conservation presents a avenue for the critical addressing of the issue of human-wildlife conflict. Across the world, the regular occurrences of conflict between animals and humans are growing, resulting in a surge of injuries, death, property destruction and social disruption.

In South African, the issue of human-wildlife conflict is growing exponentially, leading to several attempts to try and stem the issue, most of which have been unsuccessful. However, for far too long, the impact of this conflict on human rights had been ignored.

In the realm of environmental legislation, which is an ever-developing field, there exists potential for leveraging the synergy between human rights and conservation. By integrating this nexus into legal frameworks, the nexus might prove to be the key in addressing the conflict between humans and the natural occupants of the environment.