Personal Stories from WYCJ: Khulekani reiterates his lived experience of the impacts of Climate Change in his community
This blog is written on the occasion of International Mandela Day, 18th July 2023.
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Peace and Human Dignity
The International Mandela Day is an important day for the world set aside to honour the life and legacy of the former South African President, Nelson Mandela. He is respected, among other things, for his values in the country’s transition to democracy between 1990 to 1994. These values are “Peace And Human Dignity.”
Mandela appreciated the interconnection between peace, human dignity and livable environment, and he was reputed to have said that “I dream of our vast deserts, of our forests, of all our great wildernesses. We must never forget that it is our duty to protect this environment.” The significance of these words by the late icon cannot be more relevant in our present world.
It is an undeniable truth that climate change has and continues to interfere with our peaceful enjoyment of the world and undermines human dignity. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights sets clear standards on rights to life, food, and water and sanitation (UDHR art 3, art 25 & Resolution 64/292, UN GA 2010). Because of intensifying climate change, these rights are not protected. Where I come from in South Africa’s province of KwaZulu Natal, I have experienced several events with loss of lives, destruction of properties, internal displacement and a diminished quality of life. In October 2017, torrential rain hit the province (Floodlist, 2017); in April 2019 heavy rains hit again more intensively (Floodlist, 2019); and on April 2022, there were floods which claimed more than 430 lives, living hundreds more internally displaced (Eyewitness News, 2022). If you look at the first photo in this article (link), my family lives 1km from that broken bridge. It took almost a year for displaced families to find new homes and for the water infrastructure to be fixed. These are events in just one part of the world, there are many more and even worse in most parts of the African continent. Nature is groaning, there is no peace and our dignity is undermined under these climate change conditions.
In order to restore peace and proper dignity to human lives and nature, we must respect human rights, all legal obligations, and safeguard the rights of the most vulnerable people, especially the young or future generation, who most likely will face difficult living conditions in a changing climate, but who are not responsible for causing them.
As we are looking forward to the International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion, we are hoping that there will be a strong clarity on all legal obligations of States in ensuring that peace and dignity, and all rights that are threatened by climate change, are protected, and as a matter of urgency. We strongly encourage all governments, especially from Africa, to consider their contribution to this process as an important one especially for all vulnerable communities. As Mandela said, ‘we can change the world and make it a better place. It is in your hands to make a difference.”
