AFRICAN ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENDERS A Natural Justice Initiative
Supported by the International Land Coalition, the ICCA Consortium and the African Activists for Climate Justice coalition partners.
AFRICAN ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENDERS
African Environmental Defenders play an important role in protecting their lands and ecosystems from unsustainable industrial development, logging and extractive projects. However, the nature of their work can expose them to significant risks because of the political and monetary powers they stand up against.
Recent reports have consistently affirmed the rise of a “global crisis” of indiscriminate attacks against environmental and human rights defenders, especially indigenous peoples and women. Global Witness, through a report released in 2020, established that 212 land and environmental defenders were killed in 2019 while fighting to secure their lands and territories of life. The ever-increasing incidents of attacks against environmental defenders is proof of the need to protect defenders who, individually or with others, risk their lives in the struggle for their lands and natural resources.
“Global Witness, through a report released in 2020, established that 212 land and environmental defenders were killed in 2019 while fighting to secure their lands and territories of life. “
ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENDERS KILLED IN 2019
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE EMERGENCY FUND
THE EMERGENCY FUND
In December 2019, Natural Justice in collaboration with the International Land Coalition launched the African Environmental Defenders Fund. Initially, this fund targeted members of the International Land Coalition who faced threats and harassment due to their work as environmental defenders. In 2021, Natural Justice and its partners expanded the fund, with the result that they can now provide funding to a wider array of environmental defenders; including non-ILC members and targeting defenders in a number of countries on the African continent that are experiencing extractive and other industry development.
Partners include the International Land Coalition, the ICCA Consortium, and the African Activists for Climate Justice coalition partners: Pan-African Climate Justice Activists (PACJA), Oxfam Novib, FEMNET, and African Youth Commission.
‘In 2021, Natural Justice and its partners expanded the fund, with the result that they can now provide funding to a wider array of environmental defenders’
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A NATURAL JUSTICE INITIATIVE
Natural Justice is an organisation rooted in the struggles of communities in Africa. As a team of pioneering lawyers and legal experts, we specialise in human rights and environmental law in pursuit of social and environmental justice.
As a team of pioneering lawyers and legal experts we offer direct support to communities impacted by the ever-increasing demand for land and resources, conduct comprehensive research on environmental and human rights laws and engage in key national and international processes.
African Environmental Defenders is a Natural Justice Initiative which is supported by the International Land Coalition (ILC), the ICCA Consortium and the African Activists for Climate Justice coalition partners.
NATURAL JUSTICE STAFF MEMBERS
SUPPORTED BY THE INTERNATIONAL LAND COALITION, THE ICCA CONSORTIUM AND THE AFRICAN ACTIVISTS FOR CLIMATE JUSTICE COALITION PARTNERS
Partners include the International Land Coalition, the ICCA Consortium, and the African Activists for Climate Justice coalition partners: Pan-African Climate Justice Activists (PACJA), Oxfam Novib, FEMNET, and African Youth Commission.
