The Amazon region in Latin America is a hub of biodiversity and plays a pivotal role in global ecosystems. However, due to the world’s reliance on raw materials, this area is facing ever-increasing challenges. Fossil fuels, minerals, and other natural resources exploited through weaknesses in state governance and oversight of companies, public corruption, and the illegal activities of organized criminal networks, have created dangerous conditions for human rights defenders and Environmental Defenders (ED) in the Amazon region. ABA ROLI is implementing the Supporting Environmental Defenders in Latin America program to stem the violence against EDs and civil society organizations (CSOs) that support the work of EDs in the Amazon Region. Specifically, ABA ROLI is developing activities to strengthen, bolster, and enhance the regional work of EDs and civil society leaders in the Amazonian regions of Colombia, Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and Venezuela. This is a 24-month program to strengthen regional capacities for coordinated interventions to respond, protect, and prevent human rights violations of Environmental Defenders.
Supporting Environmental Defenders in the Amazon Region
In Latin America, Environmental Defenders are at a higher risk of threats and assassination. Additionally, there is a higher rate of impunity—as these crimes are increasingly inadequately investigated, and perpetrators are not brought to justice. Women face additional aggravated threats that are specific to their gender, ethnicity, origin, or other characteristics, such as sexual violence, public and political violence, and challenges to defend their right to speak out within their communities and families.
ABA ROLI will administer specific objectives under the Supporting Environmental Defenders in Latin America program. Each objective will be accomplished by completion of activities developed to strengthen, bolster, and enhance the regional work of EDs and CSO leaders in the Amazonian regions of Colombia, Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and Venezuela.
Objectives
- Strengthen networks of environmental defenders and their capacity to promote environmental justice.
- Increase the ability of defenders to overcome gender-specific threats and challenges.
- Expand measures for the prevention of violence and increase accountability for violent acts against defenders.
- To make visible and compile the content of the "Protect your Rights" campaign.
In 2023, ABA ROLI hosted six out of ten regional exchanges designed to promote the exchange between EDs and legal clinics on environmental issues; and improve decision-making, strengthen advocacy processes, and monitor human rights conditions of EDs, as well as the effects of regional public policies of environmental justice efforts in the region. From June to November 2023, ABA ROLI held five regional exchanges that tackled a range of important issues. These events included discussions on the main challenges of strategic litigation in Latin America, the right to free and informed prior consultation, environmental protection, and legal mechanisms for safeguarding environmental defenders and the environment in Colombia, Brazil, Peru, and Bolivia. Through these exchanges, participants had the opportunity to share experiences, best practices and challenges, and raise awareness about environmental issues and human rights.
ABA ROLI also designed and began implementing workshops as part of six thematic modules focused on capacity building for CSOs involved in environmental advocacy. In 2023, ABA ROLI hosted eight workshops focused on: Basic Project Theory and Access to Financing Sources, Project Management Tools, and Strategic Elements for Project Closure. These workshops aimed at strengthening civil society capacities to formulate, plan, and manage projects in partnership with international donors. As of September 2023, a total of 162 human rights defenders have been trained and supported under this program.