Category: Obligation to Protect Rights of Expression and Association

States have obligations not only to refrain from violating the rights of free expression and association directly, but also to protect the life, liberty and security of individuals exercising those rights, including when they are exercising their rights in connection with environmental concerns. Individuals who try to protect their rights in a healthy environment are often at risk of harassment, abuse and even death. In 2014, Global Witness reported that between the beginning of 2002 and the end of 2013, 908 people in 35 countries were killed because of their work defending environmental and land rights. Good practices in this area include steps taken by international organizations to clarify the rights of environmental defenders, and efforts by civil society organizations to better protect them.



Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide (ELAW)

ELAW is a network of 300 public interest advocates from 70 countries. The core mission of ELAW is to assist its partners, who are grassroots environmental lawyers working in their home countries protect the environment and communities through use of the law. Grassroots advocates play a key role in helping communities speak out, and ELAW gives these advocates the legal and …   Continue readingEnvironmental Law Alliance Worldwide (ELAW)

Protection of Environmental Human Rights Defenders

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (OBS) is a partnership created in 1997 between the Fédération Internationale des Droits de l'Homme (FIDH) and L’Organisation Mondiale Contre la Torture (OMCT). According to the OBS web site, the objective of this programme is to intervene to prevent or remedy situations of repression against human rights …   Continue readingProtection of Environmental Human Rights Defenders

Human Rights Defenders Urgent Assistance Programme

FORUM-ASIA’s Human Rights Defenders Programme aims to strengthen the protection of human rights defenders, including defenders of the rights of women, in Asia. One main objective of FORUM-ASIA’s work is to provide urgent assistance and protection to human rights defenders at risk. According to a FORUM-ASIA staff member, many of these defenders are environmental human …   Continue readingHuman Rights Defenders Urgent Assistance Programme

Front Line Defenders Identification Cards for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders

Front Line Defenders (FLD) was founded in Dublin in 2001 with the aim of protecting human rights defenders at risk -- people who work non-violently for any or all of the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. One important programme FLD has employed since 2005 is the use of identification (ID) cards to provide human rights defenders with an …   Continue readingFront Line Defenders Identification Cards for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders

The Goldman Environmental Prize for Grassroots Environmentalists

For the past 25 years, the Goldman Environmental Prize has honoured grassroots environmentalists from Africa, Asia, Europe, Islands and Island Nations, North America, and South and Central America. The Prize, which awards each recipient $175,000 USD, recognizes individuals for sustained and significant efforts to protect and enhance the natural environment. The Goldman …   Continue readingThe Goldman Environmental Prize for Grassroots Environmentalists

Measures of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights and the Inter-American Human Rights Commission to Protect Environmental Human Rights Defenders

The Inter-American Court of Human Rights (the Court), which applies and interprets the American Convention on Human Rights in respect to the 20 State Parties that have agreed to the Court’s contentious jurisdiction, and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), the organ responsible for promoting the observance and defence of human rights in all Member …   Continue readingMeasures of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights and the Inter-American Human Rights Commission to Protect Environmental Human Rights Defenders

Protection Manuals For Human Rights Defenders

Protection International provides tools and strategies to people who defend human rights, in order to protect themselves. One such strategy is the development of training manuals and other publications related to the protection of human rights defenders. These manuals apply to all human rights defenders, including environmental human rights defenders. To list a few …   Continue readingProtection Manuals For Human Rights Defenders

Women’s Human Rights Defenders International Coalition (WHRDIC)

WHRDIC is a global resource and advocacy network comprised of 28 organisations working to defend women human rights defenders (WHRDs). The network includes Amnesty International, Front Line Defenders, and Human Rights First. WHRDIC provides many support services to human rights defenders, including: tools, resources and analysis to WHRDs to enable them to be effective …   Continue readingWomen’s Human Rights Defenders International Coalition (WHRDIC)