Data trends from the African Environmental Defenders Fund

This report by Natural Justice details trends in threats against environmental defenders in Africa from January 2022 to December 2024, based on data from the African Environmental Defenders Fund. It highlights a high prevalence of non-lethal attacks, particularly in East Africa, driven by extractive industries and government interests, and examines the specific gendered violence faced by women defenders.

• Between 2022 and 2024, the African Environmental Defenders Initiative documented 232 non-lethal attacks against environmental defenders in Africa, averaging 57 attacks per year. These figures are based on applications to the Emergency Fund and are noted as not being fully reflective of the true extent of attacks.
• East Africa is the most affected region, accounting for 67% of reported non-lethal incidents. Uganda had the highest number of attacks at 42% of the total cases in Africa, followed by the Democratic Republic of Congo (15%), Kenya (14%), and Tanzania (12%).
• Threats are primarily driven by government entities (34%) and multinational or investment companies from extractive and production industries (20%), together making up 64% of perpetrators. Community members account for 25% of attacks, while state forces or police officials are responsible for 11%.
• In 2024, there was a 12% increase in legal reprisals compared to the previous year, with 134 defenders arrested. The vast majority (93%) of these arrests occurred in Uganda and targeted activists protesting the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP).
• Women environmental defenders face distinct gendered threats, including the weaponization of health and hygiene needs during detention and social stigmatization. Approximately 65% of threats against women take the form of legal reprisals.
• Specific high-conflict projects are identified as drivers of threats: the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) in Uganda and Tanzania, and the LAPPSET project in Kenya, where the Lamu Port development has impacted fishing communities and led to land grabbing.

APA

Natural Justice (n.d.). Data trends from the African Environmental Defenders Fund. https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Trends-Report-African-Environmental-Defenders-Fund-3.pdf

Chicago

Natural Justice. Data trends from the African Environmental Defenders Fund. n.d. https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Trends-Report-African-Environmental-Defenders-Fund-3.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Natural Justice |title=Data trends from the African Environmental Defenders Fund |url=https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Trends-Report-African-Environmental-Defenders-Fund-3.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{naturaljusticenddata, author = {{Natural Justice}}, title = {{Data trends from the African Environmental Defenders Fund}}, institution = {Natural Justice}, url = {https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Trends-Report-African-Environmental-Defenders-Fund-3.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }