Through UNEA resolution, states can show their support for Women Environmental Rights Defenders

A statement by Natural Justice and the Legal Resources Centre regarding a United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) resolution aimed at promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls in environmental governance.

• On 12 March 2019, a resolution brought by Costa Rica to "Promote gender equality, and the human rights and empowerment of women and girls in environmental governance" received support at the United Nations Environment Assembly in Nairobi, Kenya. However, the authors note that the final text was weakened after states failed to universally support a more strongly-worded version and requested in-text changes.
• Environmental and human rights defenders face severe risks, with at least 312 murdered in 2018. Of these, 67 percent were defending land and territory against extractive industries, big business, and large investments. Women and marginalised groups face additional acute risks, including harassment, intimidation, and sexual assault.
• A 2018 report from Front Line Defenders identifies states as the primary opponents of environmental and human rights defenders, frequently using the criminalisation of their actions as a tool for undermining them.
• Women environmental defenders occupy a unique and vulnerable position; they are often at the forefront of land struggles but are disproportionately affected by climate change, pollution, and resource extraction, while frequently being excluded from decision-making and hindered by discriminatory laws.
• The document cites specific cases of violence against defenders, including the 2016 murder of Honduran activist Berta Isabel Cáceres Flores over a hydroelectric dam on the Gualcarque river, and the 2016 murder of South African activist Sikhosiphi “Bazooka” Rhadebe. It also notes that Nonhle Mbuthuma in South Africa has faced death threats and harassment while opposing mining in Xolobeni.

APA

Martens, C. (2019). Through UNEA resolution, states can show their support for Women Environmental Rights Defenders. Natural Justice. https://naturaljustice.org/statement-through-unea-resolution-states-can-show-their-support-for-women-environmental-rights-defenders/

Chicago

Martens, Claire. Through UNEA resolution, states can show their support for Women Environmental Rights Defenders. Natural Justice, 2019. https://naturaljustice.org/statement-through-unea-resolution-states-can-show-their-support-for-women-environmental-rights-defenders/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Martens |first1=Claire |title=Through UNEA resolution, states can show their support for Women Environmental Rights Defenders |publisher=Natural Justice |date=13 March 2019 |url=https://naturaljustice.org/statement-through-unea-resolution-states-can-show-their-support-for-women-environmental-rights-defenders/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{martens2019through, author = {Martens, Claire}, title = {{Through UNEA resolution, states can show their support for Women Environmental Rights Defenders}}, publisher = {Natural Justice}, year = {2019}, month = mar, url = {https://naturaljustice.org/statement-through-unea-resolution-states-can-show-their-support-for-women-environmental-rights-defenders/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }