Primates should be granted legal rights

Wales should make the historic move of giving all non-human primates the right to life, liberty, and security

Using primates as research subjects is an emotive issue in science and the public domain. UK legislation giving permission for the use of primates in clinical trials is considered some of the toughest in the world. Particularly compared with the USA, which has historically imposed medical research on tens of thousands of primates annually. While UK legislation on this issue could be applauded, Wales can go further and lead the world in progressive legislation – not for the first time.

Wales created the role of the Future Generations Commissioner in 2015. Their job is to lead in achieving the seven goals laid out in the now often-aped Well-being of Future Generations Act. It’s surely obvious to all but some politicians that politics ought to transcend inter-party squabbling for the good of those yet to be born. The Future Generations Act is an admirably innovative policy in this vein. With Wales having pioneered such progressive legislation, why stop there?

Primates and rights

One such innovation can go beyond creating a hostile environment for primate vivisection. We can instead build a society which puts into law the similarities of emotions and needs which humanity and other primate species share. Advocating for great apes and all our fellow primates to have rights is based on ethical, scientific, and practical considerations.

Primates, especially great apes like chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans, exhibit high levels of intelligence and emotional complexity. They possess self-awareness, problem-solving abilities, and the capacity for empathy, mourning, and forming complex social relationships. These cognitive and emotional traits are similar to those found in human beings, suggesting that they deserve moral considerations similar to those (ideally) extended to humans.

All primates should be given rights under the law. This argument is tied to the ability of primates to experience suffering and pleasure. Since primates can experience pain, fear, and distress, subjecting them to harmful and traumatic practices such as laboratory testing, entertainment, and habitat destruction is ethically questionable.

Granting rights to primates would acknowledge their inherent value and protect them legally from exploitation and abuse. This position – reflecting a more equal and globally responsible Wales – lies at the very heart of the Future Generations Act.

Moral progress

Granting legal rights to all primates can be seen as an extension of the moral progress that led to the relatively recent recognition of human rights regardless of race, sex, gender, or other differences. There are already legal precedents for certain animals being afforded similar protections.

For instance, in 2015 a court in Argentina recognised an orangutan named Sandra (and later also a chimpanzee) as a ‘non-human person’ with rights to live in an appropriate environment. Similar cases have been brought to an Austrian court and, in 1999, New Zealand granted all species of great apes the status of ‘non-human hominids’. This reflects a growing global recognition that at least some animals deserve rights similar to those of humans.

Protecting primates through legal rights can also aid in international conservation efforts. Many primate species are endangered due to habitat destruction, poaching, and the illegal pet trade. Legal rights laid out in Welsh laws could provide an example that can be taken up by other countries, developing stronger protection of primate habitats.

The close genetic relationship between humans and other primates has been recognised by scientists. Some species share over 98% of their DNA with humans. This biological kinship implies a responsibility to treat them with care and respect.

Leading the way in Wales

Granting legal rights to other primates is part of fostering a more compassionate and ethical society. Recognising the intrinsic value of non-human animals encourages empathy and respect for all living beings, leading to broader positive social changes. These include better treatment of Wales’ natural world, international animal species, and other human beings alike.

Our society, specifically through the Future Generations Act, has recognised that it must value all people, including those yet to be born. Through a new Welsh law granting rights to all primates, Wales can lead the way once more – playing a key role in an international solution to the suffering of our primate relatives.

Grounded in our fellow primates’ advanced cognitive and emotional abilities, the law could encompass ethical considerations regarding suffering, legal precedents from across the globe, conservation needs, scientific responsibility, and the promotion of a compassionate society for humans and animals alike.

Just as we no longer condone the locking up of children with disabilities, or segregate people by skin tone and protecting the rights of all primates is a step towards ensuring a benevolent world for every being in it. Wales could be the first country to enshrine in law ‘that every primate has the right to life, liberty, and security’. And that would be a hopeful and influential message to send from Wales to the rest of the world.