ENVIRONMENT NEWS - The Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics is delighted to announce the appointment of South Africa-based Louise van der Merwe as its thirteenth Honorary Fellow.
Honorary Fellowship is the highest award that the Centre can bestow and is given to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the Centre and/or the protection of animals.
Championing humane education in South Africa and beyond
Louise van der Merwe is the founder of The Humane Education Trust, a registered South African Public Benefit Organisation working under the umbrella of Nature-Based Education, and specialises in advancing humane education in schools, universities and veterinary training.
A journalist by profession, she has devoted her life to rekindling a sense of care and respect for all life through formal, everyday education in schools across South Africa and beyond.
Nature-Based Education supports the ethos of the South African Constitutional Court’s historic 2016 judgment, which states that “animals have intrinsic value as individuals,” “are sentient beings capable of suffering and experiencing pain,” and that “animal protection safeguards the moral status of humans and the degeneration of human values.”
Advancing One Health and One Welfare principles
Van der Merwe has consistently highlighted the strong connection between human and animal wellbeing and their interdependence through supporting One Health and One Welfare principles.
The United Nations has recently clarified the Rights of the Child to include that children are harmed by witnessing violence and should be protected from both human violence and violence towards animals.
Alongside this work, she has compiled and edited the national magazine Animal Voice, documenting the social evolution of animal ethics in Africa over the past three decades.
International recognition through landmark publication
The forthcoming Palgrave Companion to Humane Education, edited by Clair Linzey and Andrew Linzey, is dedicated to Louise in recognition of her exceptional contribution to humane education.
The volume is the first international Companion publication dedicated to humane education and provides an introduction to both the theory and practice of the field.
The front cover of the book.
Oxford Centre Director praises Louise’s pioneering work
Director of the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics, Professor Andrew Linzey, commented:
“In a world of what seems increasing violence, helping young people to strive for a more humane and less violent world is an ethical imperative. Louise has been a trailblazer in this cause and deserves worldwide recognition.”
Honorary Fellows of the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics include Nobel Laureate Professor J. M. Coetzee; Vice-Chancellor of the University of Winchester Professor Joy Carter; multi-Emmy Award-winning television personality and pioneer in animal law Bob Barker; Australian philanthropic pioneer and founder of the Winsome Constance Kindness Trust Philip Wollen OAM; President and Director of the Brooks Institute for Animal Rights Law and Policy Timothy S. Midura; Chief Executive of Cruelty Free International Michelle Thew; and international philanthropists and humanitarians Susan and Dan Boggio.
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