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A Right to Vegan/Ethical Vegetarian Meals in Public Facilities and Challenges to Human Rights

  • Journal of Human Rights Studies
  • Abbr : JHRS
  • 2023, 6(1), pp.33-64
  • DOI : 10.22976/JHRS.2023.6.1.33
  • Publisher : Korean Association of Human Rights Studies
  • Research Area : Social Science > Law > Law of Special Parts > Human Rights / International Human Rights Law
  • Received : May 23, 2023
  • Accepted : June 20, 2023
  • Published : June 30, 2023

Jeong-Ho CHOI 1

1서울대학교 빅데이터 혁신융합대학 사업단

Accredited

ABSTRACT

Although the number of vegans and vegetarians is growing, the basis for appreciating it is still lacking, and there is still a stigma that vegetarianism has a difficult flavor. In light of this reality, civil society has come to assert the desire to be provided with vegetarian meals as a human right, such as the right to choose vegetarian cuisine or freedom of conscience, in institutions that serve group meals, such as correctional facilities and schools. State and local governments are implementing related policies and preparing the ground in response. According to the decision of the National Human Rights Commission of Korea, the vegan/vegetarian option is protected as an individual's right to form and follow a conscience. If the freedom to vegetarian options is not guaranteed, then individuals are forced to choose between their beliefs and their nutrition. Currently, the option of veganism/vegetarianism should generate interest in the conditions that can be selected, as opposed to leaving individual choice open. To achieve this, it is necessary to address the minority of vegans and ethical vegetarians as well as the structural injustices that impede their choice. Vegetarian meal is merely a means for those who insist on ethical vegetarian options such as veganism to practice their ethical beliefs. Consequently, if only the individual's choice is discussed as the current human rights framework, the request of those desiring a new relationship between humans and animals or humans and nature is likely to be disregarded as a mere motive. The Anthropocene, climate crisis, and pandemic necessitate a fresh examination of the human-nature relationship and a reconsideration of the anthropocentric worldview. Currently, human rights can be reconstituted in order to protect the rights of nature and animals. Taking into account these efforts, whether human rights will represent non-human beings or whether only the perspective of purely human interests will continue to be pursued, in the case of the former, the basis of such human rights, the relationship with animals and natural rights, etc., will be reexamined. There will be a requisite I believe this is a violation of human rights.

Citation status

* References for papers published after 2023 are currently being built.