Over the past decade, IUCN NL and the Peruvian Society for Environmental Law (SPDA) have collaborated in the Madre de Dios region of the Peruvian Amazon, with support from the French Development Agency (AFD), to develop a gender-sensitive, intersectional framework for protecting environmental defenders. This partnership has addressed escalating threats such as illegal activities, land grabbing, and deforestation, emphasizing inclusive protection strategies in response to rising violence and shrinking civic space. The initiative, implemented through the PIDDA Rights project, distills nearly ten years of experience into actionable lessons and approaches that can be replicated in other regions.
Environmental defenders in the Peruvian Amazon, including women, youth, Indigenous people, park rangers, journalists, and community members, face high levels of risk and exposure to intimidation and violence. Globally, these threats are intensifying, with 146 environmental defenders killed in 2024 alone, bringing the total to 2,253 since 2012. Peru is among the most dangerous countries for environmental defenders, with six fatalities in Madre de Dios over the past decade. Against this backdrop, IUCN NL and SPDA have prioritized innovative and collaborative protection measures that strengthen defenders’ rights to information, participation, and justice.
The collaboration has introduced tools such as incident reporting systems, emergency funds, legal support, and capacity-building initiatives with a strong gender and intersectional focus. Training programs and advocacy efforts have been designed to be culturally appropriate and locally grounded, with particular attention to the vulnerabilities of Indigenous women and other marginalized groups. These efforts have enhanced defenders’ knowledge, leadership, and security practices, enabling them to engage more effectively with existing protection mechanisms and influence policy dialogues.
Key lessons from the collaboration crystallize four interconnected strategies: understanding the real situation of defenders through participatory territorial analyses; strengthening defenders’ capacities via itinerant training programs; collaboratively developing legal proposals to improve national protection systems; and conducting multi-level advocacy to raise awareness and influence policy agendas. These strategies demonstrate the importance of differentiated, context-sensitive approaches, integrating gender and intersectional perspectives, employing practical methodologies, amplifying advocacy, building strategic partnerships, and systematizing experiences for replication.
Despite these advances, the context for environmental defenders remains challenging, with persistent threats and structural obstacles. Broader structural and political changes are necessary to safeguard human rights and environmental protection, including advancing the ratification of the Escazú Agreement, reinforcing intersectional and territorial rights, and ensuring civic space for civil society organizations. The decade-long collaboration between IUCN NL and SPDA offers a model for how local, national, and international actors can work together to enhance the protection of environmental defenders in high-risk regions.
