Madre de Dios: indigenous leaders strengthen their capacities through course on protection and defense of human rights

Leaders of the representative indigenous organizations of Madre de Dios, such as the Indigenous Federation of the Madre de Dios River and its Tributaries (Fenamad), the Indigenous Council of the Lower Zone of Madre de Dios (Coinbamad), the Harakbut Council, Yine, Matsigenka (Coharyima), and the Contract Executor of the Amarakaeri Communal Reserve (ECA Amarakaeri) participated in the "Training Course on the Protection and Defense of Human Rights," which was designed to strengthen their capacity to defend and protect human rights.

This training program, organized by the Madre de Dios Regional Office and the Biodiversity and Indigenous Peoples Program of the Peruvian Society of Environmental Law (SPDA), was also attended by indigenous professionals who exercise public representation at the municipal and regional levels of government in Madre de Dios. In addition to those who provide technical and legal advice to indigenous organizations in this Amazonian region.

Participants will be certified for 16 academic hours. Photo: Meylinn Castro / ECA Amarakaeri

The course, carried out within the framework of the Project in Defense of Territory, financed by the Climate and Land Use Alliance (CLUA), aimed to strengthen knowledge of human rights, indigenous rights and environmental rights, as well as the legal frameworks and mechanisms that recognize their protection and defense. In this way, it contributes to improving capacities for risk prevention and access to government protection mechanisms, as well as making their situation more visible.

Finally, through this training program designed by the SPDA and taught by the Institute of Democracy and Human Rights of the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú - IDEHPUCP, the participants will be certified for 16 academic hours after completing the second module of classroom sessions on August 15 and 16, 2024.

In addition, they had access to a document prepared by the SPDA that collects information on the legal instruments for their protection. This document is freely accessible through the following link: https://spda.org.pe/publicacion/en-defensa-del-territorio-y-el-ambiente/ 

In the first module, virtual sessions were held to review the national and international normative frameworks that govern the recognition and protection of human rights in general, the rights of indigenous peoples, and environmental rights.