human rights & your home apothecary
making sure we know where our herbs are coming from
As holistic home herbalists, we know that our apothecaries connect us to ecosystems and cultures around the world. As we view community holistically, we know that community includes not just the people we see from day to day. Holistic community includes our world family of herbalists and all of nature.
Holistic home herbalism acknowledges and supports every culture's relationship to the land and every individual's right to peace and freedom. We know that human rights apply to everyone, everywhere, all the time, no matter what.
As thoughtful herbalists, we stand up for human rights and for Mother Earth, and our day to day herbal choices reflect these commitments.
As consumers, we have a lot of influence over the herb industry and the practices that bring the herbs to market. It's time for us to let the herb industry know that we're here to protect Mother Earth and to stand up for human rights.
There's a lot of messed up stuff that happens behind the scenes in the herb industry, and it’s important that we, as conscious consumers, keep an eye on it. I know that if you're here, you care about the earth and other people in the world, and you want to do what you can to influence the herb industry in a positive direction.
One of the ways we can do this is by being very thoughtful about which herb suppliers we choose to work with. When you let your herb suppliers know that you care about the earth (sustainable farming practices, native ecosystem preservation, ethical harvesting practices, etc) and human rights (fair worker compensation, safe work environments, community empowerment, etc), it makes a powerful difference for the entire herb industry.
Understanding human rights
Understanding human rights can be very informative in this situation, and very grounding. This understanding can provide a powerful framework to help us make important and effective choices about our herbal suppliers.
Looking at these choices through a lens of human rights can help us understand what we're seeing in herbal commerce, in current events, and even in history. This understanding can help to focus and inspire you to make more empowered choices about the herb suppliers that you partner with to provide herbs to your home apothecary.
What are human rights?
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was created by the global community, in the aftermath of the terrible events of World War 2. This Declaration is an attempt to avoid anything like that ever happening again. Human rights apply to everyone, everywhere, all the time, no matter what.
These are the rights that we all have, simply because we were born.
They remind us that we all have the right to live. And to be free. And to feel safe. They remind us that slavery is wrong and torture is bad. Everyone has the rights to privacy and family and home. We all have a right to health, education, culture, and community. And to the freedoms of thought, opinion, belief, and expression. Everyone has the rights of fair pay, rest, and leisure time. And the Declaration reminds us that mothers and children always deserve special care, assistance, and social protection.
The Emergency Watchlist report is the International Rescue Committee’s assessment of the 20 countries at greatest risk of new humanitarian emergencies each year.
Human rights violations in the herbal industry takes many forms. It could look like forced labor, child labor, unsafe working conditions, or any number of other violations. It’s worth doing our homework, here. Who wants herbs that were picked by enslaved people or child workers? Not me! And not you, I’m sure.
International Humanitarian Law
Humanitarian law is a little bit different than human rights, although there is a lot of overlap.
Human rights apply to everyone, everywhere, all the time, no matter what. Humanitarian law reminds us that human rights matter, even when there’s a war going on.
Humanitarian law applies during times of war, conflict, and occupation. This is why humanitarian law is also known as “the rules of war”.
The rules of war include many documents signed over the years by many different countries. Some of these are United Nations documents. Some are from the Red Cross or other humanitarian organizations. Others are simply a product of the world community coming together to create change on a global level.
Humanitarian law reminds us that, even when the leaders of countries have set armies out to kill each other, there are certain things that are never okay. For example, using children as soldiers is never okay. Neither is bombing hospitals or schools. The rules of war remind us that civilians should always be treated with respect, and that children always deserve to be safe. These laws are meant to protect everyone who lives where there is a war or an occupation going on.
The following links are an exploration of three of these important global resources.
International Committee of the Red Cross Rules of Belligerent Occupation
Violations of Humanitarian Law within the herb industry often involve the exploitation or coercion of workers, the use of child labor, and putting children and adults in unsafe working conditions on herb farms on occupied land.
We’re all in this together
Sometimes, we’re not simply looking out for violations within the herb industry. Sometimes, because we know that our home apothecaries connect us to communities and cultures around the world, we’re inspired to stand up for human rights and humanitarian law, in general.
We know that every culture has a connection to the land, and that every individual has a right to that nature connection. Understanding human rights and humanitarian law can help us to leverage the power and influence we have and help support a more peaceful and equitable world.
From this perspective, let’s take a deeper look at the rules of war.
The Rules of War
also known as International Humanitarian Law
Because the world has agreed that even when there’s a war going on, there are certain things that are never okay.
Humanitarian Law is a series of documents and agreements that explore this and put it on the books. These agreements outline what's allowed during times of war and conflict, or when land is being occupied.
In our exploration of the rules of war, our deep dive begins with the Six Grave Violations.
the Six Grave Violations
Why are we starting with the Six Grave Violations?
We’re starting with the Six Grave Violations, because they are very easy to agree with. They make things very simple, really fast.
The Six Grave Violations outline some of the worst things that can happen to children, and they underscore these actions as absolute and undeniable war crimes.
The Six Grave Violations
Killing and maiming of children
Recruitment or use of children as soldiers
Sexual violence against children
Abduction of children
Attacks against schools or hospitals
Denial of humanitarian access for children
This is a good place to start because it's very easy for us to understand why these things are wrong. No one needs to explain it to us. We don't need to go to school for it, or do a bunch of research, or study it for a long time to understand without a doubt that these things are wrong.
The Six Grave Violations take the mystery out of humanitarian law. They are very simple. They are not complicated. They are easy to agree with, and they bring people together.
In addition to being very simple, the Six Grave Violations give us a starting point where we can consider other examples of the Rules of War, like the Geneva Convention or the Red Cross's guidelines of occupation.
Each of the Six Grave Violations are also included in other documents, accords, conventions, etc. that outline the Rules of War. These specific violations are represented here as a reminder to the world that all children are born with the inherent right to peace, freedom, and safety. Full stop. End of story.
But even the Six Grave Violations are not without their limitations, because they are a product of the United Nations. You may have noticed that the UN is perpetually disappointing. They talk a big talk but don't follow it up with action. They've got a bark but no bite. Basically.... when push comes to shove, they fail to make anything stick.
So the exploration of the Six Grave Violations is also a conversation about International policy, in general. It's an investigation of what's working and what's not working and what we might like to do about it, individually and collectively.
Check out the video above for a deeper dive into why we are beginning with the Six Grave Violations.
For starters, here is a link to the UNs website about the Six Grave Violations.
Here is an excerpt from their website, with links for more information about each of the Six Grave Violations:
The six grave violations serve as the basis to gather information and report on violations affecting children, and are:
What can you do?
Make sure that the herbs in your home apothecary are in alignment with your heart and your ethics. For more information and support, check out this free lesson bundle.
Talk about what you learn, so others can also leverage their power for a more peaceful and equitable herb industry.
Check out this article for 60+ things you can do everyday to create the kind of change you want to see in the world.
Do the herbs in your home apothecary align with your ethics?
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world apothecary: unsettling herbalism
The tools you need to make ethical choices about the herbs you include in your home apothecary.
