Special Projects Program

EDLC assists environmental defenders through special projects that address recurring environmental human rights concerns. These projects are designed to assist a greater number of individuals and communities than the single case approach. Methods include providing information to a global audience through online resources; developing legal materials that can be adapted for use in a variety of situations around the world; and devising cost-effective strategies for providing legal assistance. Current projects are described below.

Resources for threatened environmental defenders

EDLC has developed online resources for protecting the rights of environmental defenders. These environmental defenders are suffering direct violations of their fundamental civil and political human rights as the price for their advocacy for the environment and for their affected communities. The resources provide a starting point for individual environmental defenders and those working on their behalf to learn how to fight back against these human rights violations.

Indigenous land rights project

The goal of this project is to help secure indigenous land rights and lessen the chances of conflict over natural resource development projects. This strategy is now being pursued in cases from Mexico, Panama, and Kenya. Legal briefs are also being developed that can be adapted to assist in litigation involving indigenous land rights.

Resources for communities considering local votes

EDLC has developed online resources to assist communities considering taking advantage of pro-democracy laws that allow them to hold local votes on proposed natural resource development projects that may harm their environment and violate their human rights. These votes are increasingly being used as a means of encouraging citizen participation and peacefully resolving critical development issues.

Philippines project

No country has seen a greater proliferation in the of the use of defamation lawsuits as a means of silencing environmental defenders than the Philippines. EDLC’s Philippine outreach director coordinates the efforts of defendants, their local lawyers, and lawyers working with EDLC on these cases. American lawyers are also assisting members of the Philippine Congress in drafting laws to protect environment defenders from this type of lawsuit.

The resources provide a starting point for individual environmental defenders to learn how to fight back against these human rights violations.