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Defending those who protect the earth

Around the world, there are people who stand between the world’s most powerful corporations and the world’s most valuable natural resources.

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The Problem

Global systems for exploiting natural resources are designed to make profit, not to protect the environment or respect the rights of local communities.

Drivers

Threats

Solutions & Strategies

This global strategy contains concrete actions that we believe will help reduce the number and severity of attacks against earth rights defenders.

Prevent

Address the structural issues that cause threats to earth rights defenders, including preventing the shrinking of space for civil society and indigenous rights.
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207
Land and environmental defenders were killed in 2017 (Global Witness).
More than half of the 207 killings of environmental defenders in 2017 occurred in just three countries: Brazil, Colombia, and the Philippines.
25 %
Of all threats and attacks against human rights defenders in 2016 and 2017 were connected to companies headquartered in Canada, China, and the USA (UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders).
25 %
Of all threats and attacks against human rights defenders in 2016 and 2017 were connected to companies headquartered in Canada, China, and the USA. (UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders)
40 %
Of earth rights defenders killed in 2016 were indigenous (Global Witness)
84 %
Of defenders killed in 2017 received at least one targeted death threat prior to their killing (Frontline Defenders).

Reveal

Shine a light to reveal collusion and corruption, and to expose all those who perpetrate abuse.
Learn More
207
Killings of land and environmental defenders were documented in 2017, the worst on record, and 2018 is likely to be as bad (Global Witness).
372
Companies worldwide have adopted human rights policies. Yet the threats against earth rights defenders continues to rise (Business & Human Rights Resource Center)
61
Countries imprisoned people for exercising their human rights in 2016 (Amnesty USA).
There are many actions that can be taken to help obtain redress and justice for victims of human rights abuse, including transnational litigation and efforts to strengthen global legal protections.
372
Companies worldwide have adopted human rights policies. Yet the threats against earth rights defenders continues to rise (Business & Human Rights Resource Center).
12 %
Of cases involving the murder of human rights defenders resulted in the arrest of suspects in 2017 (Frontline Defenders).

Prevent

Address the structural issues that cause threats to earth rights defenders, including preventing the shrinking of space for civil society and indigenous rights.
Learn More

Reveal

Shine a light to reveal collusion and corruption, and to expose all those who perpetrate abuse.
Learn More

What you can do

Read our global strategy for earth rights defenders

Lee nuestra estrategia global para los defensores de los derechos de la tierra

Key Findings

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Sign the pledge

Sign the Environmental Defenders Declaration for South East Asia

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