Defendemos el medioambiente, defendemos los derechos humanos

This report by Friends of the Earth International (ATI) documents violence and human rights violations against environmental defenders between November 2011 and October 2013. It argues that these attacks are a global trend driven by a neoliberal extractivist model and corporate dominance, which often results in the criminalization and physical persecution of activists, indigenous peoples, and local communities.

• Between November 1, 2011, and October 31, 2013, Friends of the Earth International (ATI) recorded over 100 incidents of violence and human rights violations against environmental defenders across 27 countries.
• Environmental defenders face a wide array of risks, including physical violence, arbitrary arrests, criminalization through false charges, and forced disappearances. Specifically, more than half of the murders recorded by ATI during the 2011-2013 period were intentional killings of peasant leaders or deaths resulting from violent land conflicts.
• The report identifies the 'neoliberal extractivist model' as a primary driver of violence, as it prioritizes corporate interests over the rights of people and nature, leading to increased competition for natural resources.
• Women environmental defenders are identified as being at particularly high risk, facing specific forms of violence such as sexual harassment, sexual violence, and rape, in addition to the general risks faced by all defenders.
• Indigenous communities defending their territories face multiple violations, including forced evictions and massacres, often linked to large-scale development projects and extractive operations.
• The report criticizes voluntary corporate social responsibility (CSR) mechanisms, such as the UN Global Compact and the Ruggie Principles, stating they are insufficient and often used to mask corporate abuses and maintain a 'clean' image.
• A pervasive 'culture of impunity' exists globally, where crimes against environmental defenders are rarely investigated or result in significant convictions, which serves to discourage activism and incentivize further abuses.
• State security policies and anti-terrorism laws are being used to restrict civil society, labeling environmental defenders as 'internal enemies' to justify surveillance, infiltration, and the criminalization of non-violent protests.
• ATI advocates for the adoption of a legally binding international treaty to regulate transnational corporations and ensure they respect the rights of nature, people, and defenders, moving beyond voluntary guidelines.

APA

Penchaszadeh, A. (2014). Defendemos el medioambiente, defendemos los derechos humanos. Friends of the Earth International. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Defendemos-el-medioambiente-defendemos-los-derechos-humanos.pdf

Chicago

Penchaszadeh, Analía. Defendemos el medioambiente, defendemos los derechos humanos. Friends of the Earth International, 2014. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Defendemos-el-medioambiente-defendemos-los-derechos-humanos.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Penchaszadeh |first1=Analía |title=Defendemos el medioambiente, defendemos los derechos humanos |publisher=Friends of the Earth International |date=June 2014 |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Defendemos-el-medioambiente-defendemos-los-derechos-humanos.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{penchaszadeh2014defendemos, author = {Penchaszadeh, Analía}, title = {{Defendemos el medioambiente, defendemos los derechos humanos}}, institution = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2014}, month = jun, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Defendemos-el-medioambiente-defendemos-los-derechos-humanos.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }