SPDA and the French Embassy launch course to strengthen protection for environmental defenders in the Amazon

In a context where risks continue to rise for those who protect the land, the Peruvian Society for Environmental Law (SPDA), through its Biodiversity and Indigenous Peoples Program—and with the support of the French Embassy and the French Development Agency (AFD)—developed the course “Environmental Defenders: Rights and Protection Mechanisms.”

This initiative aims to strengthen the capacities of government officials at various levels, environmental defenders, Indigenous organizations, and institutions involved in the protection of environmental defenders.

The course will initially be offered in Madre de Dios and Loreto, regions where pressure on ecosystems and threats against defenders have been persistent in recent years.

Its content was designed with direct participation from Indigenous leaders and environmental defenders from these regions, as well as representatives of the State, ensuring an intercultural approach that reflects local realities.

This initiative is part of the project “Building Capacities to Defend the Rights of Environmental and Land Defenders in Peru,” funded by the French Embassy and implemented by SPDA.

Its goal is to reduce the risks faced by environmental defenders in the Peruvian Amazon by providing tools that promote coordination between Indigenous communities, rural populations, and the State.

During the event “Environmental Defenders: Building Capacities for Their Protection,” the main contents of the course and the validation process of its methodology were presented, with the participation of environmental defenders, Indigenous organizations, and public officials.

Jorge Caillaux, President of SPDA, emphasized the importance of this initiative and the organization’s commitment to defending the rights of those who protect their territories.

The event featured two discussion panels. In the first panel, Peregrino Shanocua, an Indigenous communicator from Madre de Dios, highlighted the role of communication in raising awareness about land-related issues. Fiorella Tayori, a young Harakbut leader from the Generación Verde collective and the Madre de Dios Forest Anti-Corruption Network, underscored the impact of youth advocacy in environmental protection. Meanwhile, Francis Quique, Vice President of the Management Contract Executor of the Amarakaeri Communal Reserve (ECA Amarakaeri), called for the guarantee of territorial security for Indigenous peoples.

In the second panel, José Talavera Morales, acting director of the Directorate of Human Rights Policies and Management at the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights (MINJUS), explained the role of regional roundtables in coordinating efforts to protect defenders. Andrea Luque Armestar, a researcher at the Institute of Democracy and Human Rights of the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru (IDEHPUCP), stressed the importance of academic knowledge in shaping protection strategies. Finally, Clément Larrue, representative of the French Development Agency (AFD) in Peru, reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to protecting Indigenous rights and conserving the Amazon.

The event also featured Hughes de Chavagnac, representative of the French Embassy in Peru, who reiterated the French government’s support for initiatives aimed at ensuring the safety of environmental defenders.

For her part, Isabel Calle, Executive Director of SPDA, closed the event by emphasizing the need for a comprehensive approach to protecting environmental defenders—one that also considers the impact their work has on their communities and families.

Photos: Angela Rodríguez / SPDA