First published on 04/25/2018, and last updated on 05/22/2018
When the environment is harmed, so are nearby indigenous peoples and local communities who suffer violations of their human rights to health, property, and way of life. To make matters worse, governments often violate these affected communities’ rights to information, expression, and participation in environmental decision-making. And if communities cannot advocate for their human rights or for their environment, harm to both is inevitable.
The ICCA Consortium recently connected with the Environmental Defender Law Center (EDLC), a non-profit organisation that works to protect the human rights of people in the Global South who are fighting to protect their environment. EDLC was created in 2003 to provide a range of legal services to environmental defenders, especially by finding private lawyers to work for free on their behalf. It focuses largely on cases related to land titling, conflicts over development projects and environmental defenders.
Are you or is your community facing such issues and in need of targeted legal support?
EDLC identifies cases where environmental defenders need and want legal assistance, and helps them without charge through three programmes: (a) Finding Lawyers, (b) Providing Resources and (c) Giving Grants. EDLC specialises in cases of international significance, where innovative legal strategies can be developed and later replicated to help other environmental defenders. EDLC is funded exclusively by foundation grants and individual donations.
If you wish to find out more information and potentially seek support from EDLC, please contact the ICCA Consortium’s International Policy Coordinator: Holly Jonas
