TITLE: A human rights approach for resisting CAFOs. AUTHOR: Karen Hudlet. KEYWORDS: industrial pig farms; Mexico

Karen Hudlet

10.15868/socialsector.40708
April 1, 2020

Full title: A human rights approach for resisting CAFOs: The Mayan community of Homun against a 49,000-pig operation in Yucatan, Mexico

There are four ways to frame the problem of CAFOs (concentrated animal feeding operations).

1. Frames that stress risks and uncertainties (e.g. the negative consequences of CAFOs for the environment and human health in the present and future).
2. Context frames that work as a helicopter view that allows factors surrounding CAFOs to be viewed in a broad context and connection with other human rights cases/ abuses (e.g. CAFOs as part of larger food systems and problems with agribusinesses and other extractive projects).
3. Frames that underline the specifics of a case or region, such as legal, historic, economic, or cultural aspects that are of special significance to a particular community or region (e.g. its water).
4. Situational frames that focus on actors and stakeholders, their roles, interests, and relationships, emphasizing power and injustices, and empowering those resisting CAFOs (e.g. environmental defenders).

Human rights frames have advantages and disadvantages, and is only one of various frames that one can use to resist CAFOs in developing economies.

Website by Morweb.org