Women's
Congress for Future Generations
Toward
a Declaration of the Rights of Future Generations
Essential
Concepts
We stand witness for
Future Generations and are making a Declaration of the Rights of Future
Generations and the Responsibilities of Present Generations.
The
intention of the Women’s Congress for Future Generations is
to fulfill the special responsibility and authority that women hold as the
first environment for future human generations and create pathways toward
achieving whole health, justice, and sustainability for the Earth Community in
this generation and for all generations to come. To this end we are sourcing a Living
Declaration of the Rights of Future Generations to serve as a guide for
dialogue, values realignment, and precautionary action.
Principles
Interdependence. Life arises within the interdependence
of the elements (air, earth, water, fire), mountains, oceans, rivers, deserts,
soil and sky, microbes, plants and animals, including humans. All visible
and invisible beings are interrelated, sharing molecules and energy and making
up the web of life. Nothing is separate in the Earth Community.
Love and compassion are the glue holding the parts together as a whole.
Precautionary Principle shifts the burden of proof and assumes the axiom "Do no harm".
If you don't know whether harm will be
done, don't do it. As consciousness
rises, admit mistakes and course correct.
As the first environment for
Future Generations, the Womb must be respected and honored. The first principle of interdependence is
learned in the Womb creating intrinsic trust that is foundational to healthy
relationships. What happens in the womb
impacts each child born now and every future generation.
Economies must not
destroy ecosystems. Economies
are situated within ecosystems, and thus, economic activities are dependent on
intact ecological systems. Economies must honor ecological principles of
interrelatedness and interdependency, and be regenerative.
All life has the right to exist and maintain its natural systems,
rhythms and cycles in a clean and healthy environment.
"All" is part of Commons as a planetary system including
but not limited to air, water, seeds, climate, belonging and beauty. Commons may not be owned, traded or sold.
Rights create responsibilities. In addition to individuals, responsibilities
for protecting rights must be located in specific bodies that can be held
accountable, such as government commissions and agencies.
Toward a Declaration of the Rights of Future Generations
Right of individuals and Future Generations to a clean,
biologically diverse, and healthy environment.
Individuals of all
species have a right to a clean and healthy ecosystem that is biologically rich
and diverse with its vital integral cycles and systems intact, to be respected,
and to not be wasted, degraded, polluted, devalued, excluded or cast aside.
Right of nature to
exist. Nature
and all ecosystems have the right to exist, whole and intact. All Earth
communities have the right to have their ecosystems restored to their naturally
dynamic and healthy equilibrium.
Right
to peace. Communities, human and ecological, animate
and inanimate, have the right to a peaceful (and cooperative) living in their
communities, generating meaningful relationships or partnership based on
respect, trust and humility with fellow members and natural systems.
The Right of integrity of
MotherBaby. The relationships around
MotherBaby have an intrinsic right to be well-resourced, undisturbed and
protected.
Communities have right to self-determination and representation.
Right
to environmentally sustainable and socially just economies.
Corporations do not hold personhood rights.
With these Rights come Responsibilities
Present Generations have a
responsibility to:
Honor earth systems. Maintain
a planetarian perspective that recognizes the unique niche and contribution of
all elements and life forms in the planetary ecology.
Be conscious guardians and stewards of our earth community. It is incumbent upon us to develop facilities
and incorporate new levels of consciousness as we become aware of them. Listen to the wisdom of indigenous peoples,
elders, children and our planet and our own inner wisdom.
Uphold the right of communities to self-representation and
self-determination.
Integrate the Precautionary Principle.
Take action to prevent harm. As consciousness rises, admit mistakes
and course correct.
Protect and prevent harm to
the integrity of MotherBaby. MotherBaby
are integral and interdependent and cannot be treated separately.
Live through our heart/mind connection of empathy, tolerance and
compassion.
Stay open, continually seek new learning and course correct.
Stay open, continually seek new learning and course correct.
Incorporates restorative justice in amending our relationship with each
other and our planet.
Maintain economic practices aligned with the balance of life.
We have a responsibility to take action.
These rights and responsibilities have implications for our
legal, moral and economic systems.
New economic, social, and legal
systems aligned with the holistic well being of the earth community and which
recognize the rights of all beings and elements are essential.
We must
act now!
We ask that you
commit to this Declaration to honor and uphold
all relationships in the Earth Community so that we may leave a
healthy, harmonious, and beautiful world to Future Generations.
________________________________ _________________________
Name Organization/Affiliation
Date _____________________
