The 2020 update on the African Environmental Defenders Fund

The African Environmental Defenders Fund, launched in December 2019 by Natural Justice and the International Land Coalition (ILC), provides emergency financial support to land and environmental defenders in Africa facing imminent threats. Between March and August 2020, the Fund processed 15 applications, approving 10 and distributing over USD 30,000 to assist with legal fees, bail, relocation, and safe houses.

• The African Environmental Defenders Fund was established in December 2019 by Natural Justice and the International Land Coalition (ILC) to provide emergency support to ILC-affiliated land and environmental defenders. The Fund is managed by a Natural Justice team and a five-member external committee with regional experience, including an indigenous community representative, which aims to make funding decisions within 48 hours.
• Between March and 18 August 2020, the Fund received 15 applications, the majority of which originated from Kenya. Of these, 10 applications were approved and five were declined; reasons for rejection included a lack of ILC affiliation or a failure to demonstrate an imminent threat. The Fund distributed just over USD 30,000 in total.
• Threats faced by the applicants were primarily physical, including arrest, arbitrary detention, and forced evictions, though some defenders experienced digital tracking, stalking, and harassment. The most frequent and most funded requests for assistance were for legal representation fees, followed by costs for bail, relocation, safe houses, and daily expenses while in hiding.
• Natural Justice intends to expand the initiative by seeking additional funding for both ILC members and non-associated defenders. Future support strategies include advocacy, legal empowerment, digital training, and the creation of a network of African lawyers to address the global underreporting of threats against African defenders.

APA

Martens, C. (2020). The 2020 update on the African Environmental Defenders Fund. Natural Justice. https://naturaljustice.org/the-2020-update-on-the-african-environmental-defenders-fund/

Chicago

Martens, Claire. The 2020 update on the African Environmental Defenders Fund. Natural Justice, 2020. https://naturaljustice.org/the-2020-update-on-the-african-environmental-defenders-fund/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Martens |first1=Claire |title=The 2020 update on the African Environmental Defenders Fund |publisher=Natural Justice |date=11 September 2020 |url=https://naturaljustice.org/the-2020-update-on-the-african-environmental-defenders-fund/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{martens20202020, author = {Martens, Claire}, title = {{The 2020 update on the African Environmental Defenders Fund}}, institution = {Natural Justice}, year = {2020}, month = sep, url = {https://naturaljustice.org/the-2020-update-on-the-african-environmental-defenders-fund/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }