A RIGHT TO HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT: THE NEXUS BETWEEN ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND HUMAN RIGHTS

Abstract

This paper begins by considering the incorporation of the right to healthy environment under the
Constitution of Rwanda or an obligation for the government to protect the environment or to
make careful use of the country’s natural resources. Primarily, the paper discusses the link
between the environmental protection and human rights, as constructed within the international
human rights legal framework and identifying some of the benefits of applying human rights to
environmental protection. The paper also sheds light on some of the theoretical challenges to the
recognition of such a right, both from within human rights discourse. Finally, the paper explores
the right of access to information, public participation in decision-making and access to justice
in relation to environmental protection.