Comments and Suggestions for UNEP’s Environmental Human Rights Defenders Policy

Natural Justice provides a series of recommendations to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to improve its draft policy on Environmental Human Rights Defenders, focusing on increasing the accessibility of reporting channels, reducing bureaucratic delays in response times, and enhancing protections for marginalized groups.

• Natural Justice urges UNEP to diversify reporting channels to improve accessibility for grassroots communities, who are highly vulnerable and often go unreported. Suggested additions to e-mail include 24/7 hotline numbers, reporting apps, and website application forms.
• To address fragmented data on violations, Natural Justice recommends that UNEP implement a coordinated international collaboration and coordination plan for evidence collection. This should include country-level mechanisms where organizations like Natural Justice can input case information using confidentiality measures such as coding systems or concealing names.
• The document advocates for a less bureaucratic vetting process to ensure timely interventions. Natural Justice suggests creating a Committee—including representatives from UNEP's Law Division, UNEP Regional Office, UN Resident Coordinator, OHCHR, and local partners—to make decisions on country-level submissions. They recommend a decision-making timeline of 72 hours.
• Natural Justice suggests that UNEP provide clarity on the specific types of cases requiring intervention, potentially via an annexure listing threat categorizations. They emphasize that the policy must recognize the unique threats faced by marginalized groups, women, and indigenous communities.
• The recommendations include a call for long-term interventions to drive systemic national legal and policy reforms, as well as programmatic support for women and indigenous peoples. This support should include training on sexual violence, digital security, and psychosocial support, alongside infrastructural support for technology.

APA

Natural Justice (n.d.). Comments and Suggestions for UNEP’s Environmental Human Rights Defenders Policy. https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/NJ_Comment-Sheet_Comments-on-UNEPs-Draft-Policy-on-ELDs_2020.05.27.pdf

Chicago

Natural Justice. Comments and Suggestions for UNEP’s Environmental Human Rights Defenders Policy. n.d. https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/NJ_Comment-Sheet_Comments-on-UNEPs-Draft-Policy-on-ELDs_2020.05.27.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Natural Justice |title=Comments and Suggestions for UNEP’s Environmental Human Rights Defenders Policy |url=https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/NJ_Comment-Sheet_Comments-on-UNEPs-Draft-Policy-on-ELDs_2020.05.27.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{naturaljusticendcomments, author = {{Natural Justice}}, title = {{Comments and Suggestions for UNEP’s Environmental Human Rights Defenders Policy}}, publisher = {Natural Justice}, url = {https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/NJ_Comment-Sheet_Comments-on-UNEPs-Draft-Policy-on-ELDs_2020.05.27.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }