By Esther Afolaranmi. Esther is a Law Graduate from Bowen University, and will be working with the Animal Activist Legal Defense Project at the University of Denver this year. Esther has career interests in corporate/commercial law practice, real estate management, family law and a keen interest in human rights. She enjoys and excels at being the voice of the voiceless.

• Esther explains why physical decolonization is a legal obligation under the human rights regime that involves urging concentrations of wealth and power – leaders – to use their influence, money and otherwise, to empower future generations ecologically and socially. Joseph Kahn, of the New York Times, is one such leader. Urging high profile leader like Kahn to tell the truth about their role in family injustice, in protest of the system they prop up, could be the most effective way to mitigate the climate and inequity crises.
• In fulfillment of that legal obligation Fair Start is funding the Seeds for the Future program. The money Fair Start gives into this is not a donation. It was an approximation of what we owe based on how our wealth externalized its costs on future generations relative to a power neutral baseline. For Exxon that figure would be exorbitant, and dozens of interviews with political/legal theorists later, none can tell us why Esther’s demand for family-based climate reparations does not precede and thus override political processes. 

• This physical decolonization will end the ecocide and white supremacy hiding in our current and near-universal family policies, the policies Kahn and other leaders reinforce every day.
• This creates a future where birth equity entitlements determine family planning outcomes. In the spirit of Bell Hooks, love should be our guide and if it takes a village to raise a child it take a village to plan for and invest equitable in them.
• This change can be be made within nations, in domestic legal systems, as well. For example, domestic law can be amended to promote birth equity over family autonomy, targeting those like Elon Musk who never paid the costs of their massive wealth, costs laid on the backs of women and children.
• Do individuals and organizations really back his change? If they have not signed this letter they do not back it, but are hiding from the truth.

Here is what Esther had to say:

Climate restoration involves the process of reversing the damage caused by climate change and restoring the natural systems that have been impacted by human activities. The concept of birth equity depicts that every child born into a society has an equal chance at life, regardless of their race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status.

The idea of linking climate restoration with birth equity as a legal obligation is what we propose. We suggest that in order to address climate change and restore the planet, we must also consider how we bring new life into the world and ensure that every child has an equal chance at a healthy and sustainable future.

This approach acknowledges the fact that certain populations, such as low-income communities and communities of color, are disproportionately affected by the impacts of climate change. By prioritizing these obligations, we can work towards addressing these disparities and ensuring that every child has access to the resources and opportunities needed to thrive and that’s what the Seeds for the Future Project is about.

The Seeds for the Future campaign aims to address food insecurity, harsh climatic changes, wealth injustices, children’s rights and family size at grassroots in Uganda.

We reckon that implementing this concept as a legal obligation (though some may choose to give as charity) would likely be challenging. It would require significant changes to our legal and social systems, as well as widespread support from policymakers and the public. We are ready and committed to championing this cause.

This is what our partner Robert at Rejoice Africa Foundation said on these matters:

Drought, hunger , food insecurity, disease , population increase due to climate crisis . People are dying younger than they were dying in past centuries. The Global North is continuing to turn their deaf ears, listening to songs of suffering global South and they only give empty pledges. Global North organizations , donors and foundations have continued to fund nonprofits registered in Global North who come to Global South to generate reports without working on the root cause of the climate crisis .

Additionally, it would require addressing underlying issues such as poverty, systemic racism, and environmental injustice, which are complex and deeply ingrained in our society. By working towards a more equitable and sustainable future for all children, we can build a healthier and more resilient society for generations to come.