Environmental Defenders

We support the situation of champions of the territory and the environment working in favor of their protection with the planning of normative frameworks and the development of advocacy actions at national and international levels.

From April, 2020, to April 2022, according to the information from Indigenous organizations and official sources, 16 human rights champions, dedicated to defending the environment and the territory, were murdered. Only 11 of these casualties have been officially recognized by the General Directorate of Human Rights from the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights. This turns Peru into the third most lethal country in South America for champions of human rights.

At the SPDA we have been closing working with environmental champions to bridge the gaps with the Peruvian government. Moreover, we promote their participation in national and international settings with organizations involved in the defense of human rights.

To achieve this, we are focusing our efforts on five key actions:

• We propose, design, and improve legal mechanisms for the protection of environmental champions.
• We empower environmental champions in the strategic defense of their rights at national and international levels.
• We develop capacity building programs for the defense and protection of human rights and the territory.
• We provide strategic legal defense and technical assistance for champions, as well as the organizations they represent.
• We highlight the struggle of environmental champions against illegal activities and we raise awareness in society.