What the COVID-19 lockdowns mean for environmental defenders

This guide by Natural Justice examines how COVID-19 lockdowns have been leveraged by governments and private entities to suppress environmental and land defenders, particularly in Africa, and provides strategic advice for maintaining activism and safety during the pandemic.

• COVID-19 lockdown powers are being used by security forces and local authorities to suppress land defenders, leading to harassment, arrests, and evictions. Specific instances include the harassment of a land defender in the equator region of the DRC, the targeting and eviction of communities in Uganda, and a community activist in northern Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa, going into hiding due to death threats.
• The pandemic has created a conducive environment for rights violations by restricting access to justice through the closure of courts and administrative institutions, disrupting security protocols, and reducing transparency and accountability in government and business operations.
• Environmental defenders are facing a variety of increased threats during the pandemic, including physical violence, killings, political intimidation, increased digital surveillance, and the implementation of draconian laws that undermine the rights of marginalised and indigenous communities.
• To maintain activism during lockdowns, the document recommends shifting toward innovative alternatives such as increased online engagement via social media and WhatsApp, using press releases and creative photography/video, and leveraging regional movements to access funding and support.
• The guide suggests specific safety measures for defenders, including mapping 'hot spot' areas of human rights violations, using encrypted messaging for digital safety, and accessing emergency funds such as the African Environmental Defenders’ Fund, an initiative of the International Land Coalition (ILC) and Natural Justice.

APA

Martens, C. (2020). What the COVID-19 lockdowns mean for environmental defenders. Natural Justice. https://naturaljustice.org/what-the-covid-19-lockdowns-mean-for-environmental-defenders/

Chicago

Martens, Claire. What the COVID-19 lockdowns mean for environmental defenders. Natural Justice, 2020. https://naturaljustice.org/what-the-covid-19-lockdowns-mean-for-environmental-defenders/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Martens |first1=Claire |title=What the COVID-19 lockdowns mean for environmental defenders |publisher=Natural Justice |date=13 May 2020 |url=https://naturaljustice.org/what-the-covid-19-lockdowns-mean-for-environmental-defenders/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{martens2020what, author = {Martens, Claire}, title = {{What the COVID-19 lockdowns mean for environmental defenders}}, institution = {Natural Justice}, year = {2020}, month = may, url = {https://naturaljustice.org/what-the-covid-19-lockdowns-mean-for-environmental-defenders/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }