WAJ Vision: A World where Justice exists for Animals
What is WAJ? International NGO Advancing Animal Law Advocacy
For the Legal Recognition of Animals' Fundamental Rights & the Global Prohibition of Crimes against Animals
Existing laws are not enough to protect animals fundamental rights to live, be free and well-treated.
It is time to go further for animals. It is time for a legal paradigm shift.
It is time for a World of Animal Justice. ”
BREAKING: WAJ Expert Report on 'Crimes against Animality' is OUT!
What is World Animal Justice?
World Animal Justice (WAJ) is an international NGO working for:
– The legal recognition of the fundamental animal rights to live, be free and well-treated in all contexts (for their fundamental interests to be protected).
– The global prohibition of ‘crimes against animality’ (killings, sequestrations, tortures etc) & Zoocide (extermination of animal populations and species).
WAJ’s final goal is to have ‘crimes against animality’ and ‘zoocide’ recognized and forbidden in international law, in the same way that crimes against humanity and genocide are already, and that crimes against environment and ecocide are progressing in this sense.
WAJ gathers an Expert group of 40 international animal lawyers (academics, barristers, consultants) and other experienced professionals from the 5 continents. We work to make concrete proposals to significantly improve animal protection laws based on solid legal expertise. We share our legal proposals in webinars, academic papers, special reports, open-letters and position-papers in international, european and national advocacy spaces.
WAJ Team – Who we are?
WAJ Governance
WAJ is led by its founding director Dr Sabine Brels, under the direction of WAJ Board, and with the consultative advice of WAJ Steering committee members.
WAJ has the chance to benefit from the active involvement of key animal law experts and partnering NGOs in our diverse projects aiming to strenghten animal law enforcement and foster ambitious law reforms for animals at national, regional and international levels. WAJ also has the chance to benefit from the skills of a team of interns and volunteers, actively contributing to WAJ comms, IT and legal research. Discover our team and who we are Here!
WAJ works at national, regional and international levels with NGOs & Coalitions Partners: Asia for Animals, Charity doings, Humanisma, ADDA, Derecho Animal Perù, Animal Law and Policy Network, Lawyers for Animal Protection in Africa, Alliance on Criminal Justice, World Animal Day, End.it Coalition, ICARE, UAnimals, Lawyers for Animals Association (Poland), Aquatic Animal Alliance, Latin Group for Animals, Fundacion Derecho y Defensa Animal.
World Animal Justice (WAJ) is dedicated to advancing animal justice worldwide
WAJ unique group of international animal law experts is working to legally protect animal rights and globally prohibit the crimes against animals.
WAJ is paving the way for ‘crimes against animality’ and ‘zoocide’ to be recognized and ultimately forbidden in international criminal law.
- WAJ is engaged in developing new law proposals and tools to share knowledge and comparative analysis.
- WAJ aims to provide an global platform to international criminal animal law academics and advocates.
- From theory to practice, our proposals are based on a solid expertise and translated into concrete actions.
- WAJ is dedicated to combating animal crimes with laws at National, Regional and International/UNiversal levels.
Why do we need World Animal Justice ?
The vast majority of the world’s countries have adopted national laws to condemn cruel acts towards animals.
However, there is NO INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL LAW INSTRUMENT BANNING ANIMAL CRUELTY worldwide.
World Animal Justice actions aim to fill this GAP in order to ask for Global Animal Protection in international law.
Last but not least, WAJ stands that the worst cruel criminal acts against animals need to be globally banned.
Animals are scientifically and legally recognized as sentient beings whose welfare and fundamental rights should be respected.
WAJ aims to go further and foster animal protection laws for their fundamental rights to be legally ensured and protected worldwide.
WAJ Mission: Defend Animal Rights - End Animal Crimes
WAJ Goals
- WAJ works for ‘crimes against animality’ to be recognized and prohibited internationally
- ‘Crimes against animality’ can be defined by analogy with the ‘Crimes against humanity’ that are listed under the Art. 7 of the Rome Statute defining the Crimes against humanity as such: Massive killings; Exterminations; Enslavement; Deportation or forcible transfer of population; Imprisonment ; Torture; Sexual violence; Persecutions etc.
- Similar crimes happen for millions of animals everyday, in a legal way for exploited animals.
- WAJ seeks to ban the crimes against animality (for all categories of animals: farmed, wild, captive, companion, stray, lab animals, used for work, sports, shows, tourism etc.) to protect the lives of trillions of animals every year worldwide.
- WAJ advocates for a new Art. 7 bis on ‘crimes against animality’ to be enshrined in Rome Statute of ICC (WAJ Report).
- WAJ is advocating for the fundamental rights of animals to be legally protected worldwide
- Similarly to humans, animals have the fundamental interests to live, to be free and not to be harmed.
WAJ asks for these fundamental rights of animals to be legally protected at the global level,
such as the ‘human rights’ are protected under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR, 1948). - By analogy, a text for the universal recognition of animal rights can include similar recognition of the Right to Life, Liberty, Personal Security” (UDHR, art.3); “Freedom from Slavery” (UDHR, art.4); “Freedom from Torture and Degrading Treatment” (UDHR, art.5). See the proposal for a Universal Declaration of Animal Rights proclaimed at UNESCO in 1978.
- WAJ advocates for the global protection of animals’ fundamental rights to live, be free and well-treated in all contexts.
- In this aim, WAJ has contributed to the Animal Pledge and to the Declaration on Animal Dignity released in 2025.
WAJ Actions: Animal Rights Law against Animal Crimes Worldwide
- Go FAR: For Animal Rights
For the global legal protection of animal fundamental rights to live, to be free and well-treated.
- Take ACTION: Animal Crimes Time is Over Now
For Crimes against animality and Zoocide to be recognized and prohibited in international law.
WAJ STRATEGY: From theory to practice
. THEORY
Provide a solid definition and theory of the ‘crimes against animality’ and ‘Zoocide’ in international law.
. PRACTICE
Set up concrete actions for ‘crimes against animality’ and ‘Zoocide’ to be recognized and prohibited in international criminal law.
WAJ Top Priority: Stopping Industrial Farming Zoocide
Why and How We Must Urgently Stop the Major Animal Crimes of Factory Farming ?
To globally eradicate the widespread crimes against animals, legal intervention is crucial. Instead of permitting the mass exploitation of sentient beings, laws should impose clear obligations—such as mandating the use of existing alternatives to animal products (e.g., plant-based proteins) and non-animal testing methods—while actively fostering their accessibility and development. This aligns with the fundamental duty of law: protecting animal welfare.
Animals are the victims of the most large-scale and systematic crimes on Earth, with the majority of these atrocities fueled by the industrialized food system’s relentless drive to increase animal protein production. However, overwhelming scientific evidence confirms that factory farming is catastrophic—not just for animals, but also for human health and the planet.
From an economic standpoint, the billions of dollars currently allocated to harmful subsidies supporting factory farming should instead be redirected toward sustainable incentives. Investing in plant-based protein alternatives would contribute to food security while safeguarding the environment, public health, and the well-being of all living beings.
The Urgent Need for Change: Key Benefits
✅ Over 200 billion farmed terrestrial and aquatic animals would be spared each year
✅ Wildlife populations would also benefit, as factory farming is a major driver of biodiversity loss
✅ Ecosystems would be preserved, reducing pollution, deforestation, desertification, and eutrophication
✅ Human health would improve, reducing zoonotic spillovers and lowering risk of satured-fat diseases
✅ A shift toward more ethical, sustainable, and healthy food systems—ensuring a better future for all
