Tree nursery
Volunteers looking after seedlings for future tree planting.
Tree planting
The staff of environmental defenders removing seedlings from nursery ready for planting in the fields.
Capacity building
Capacity building workshop for Women Land and Environmental activists in Biiso Buliisa
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About us

The Environmental Defenders(ED) is an ecofeminist and collaborative environmental justice organization that works to conserve Biodiversity and defend Indigenous People’s rights in Africa. ED is dedicated to the protection of the natural environment and the people and wildlife that depend upon it, helping marginalized Indigenous Peoples and communities in Africa make a sustainable living and protect their water sources, land, and the local environment.

We are based in Uganda and are active in the Albertine Rift region and the Congo Basin.

The Environmental Defenders focus on protecting biodiversity, defending traditional and Indigenous Peoples land rights, protecting and defending environmental human rights defenders and land rights activists, and empowering communities through education and livelihoods support.

We believe that accepted environmental and human rights principles embody the right of everyone to a secure, healthy, and ecologically sound environment and that environmental degradation leads to human rights violations such as the right to life, health, culture, and livelihoods.

Climate resilience & biodiversity

Tree planting and reforestation, seed banking and collection, biodiversity monitoring, restoration of degraded land, habitat protection and restoration for wildlife and plants protection, environmental education, and awareness campaigns.
Open landscape of green mountains
Group of people preparing seedlings
Group of people carrying a bag of soil
Restoration volunteers and activists after planting trees

Environmental Human Rights Defenders

Environmental Defenders EHRDs program implement strategies to protect and secure environmental human rights defenders and land rights activists who are targeted, harmed, and endangered due to their efforts to defend their environment, land rights, and tenure security.
Participants in Digital security training for Women environmental activists in West Nile region
Training workshops on Land rights and Peasant Rights
Digital security training for Environmental activists and Land rights defenders in Hoima district
capacity building workshop for Women Land and Environmental activists in Biiso Buliisa

We provide direct support to organizations and individuals conserving the environment, protecting land and advancing human rights (relocation, legal, and medical emergency grants), capacity building to improve Women Environmental Human Rights Defenders’ security (personal/organizational and digital security workshops), psychosocial support.

We maintain strong and long-time support to Indigenous women environmental defenders land rights activists and build gender-sensitive responses to address specific security threats and risks WEHRDs face.

Community empowerment and Livelihoods support

The Environmental Defenders mobilizes Indigenous and traditional Peasant communities to advocate and take direct action against illegal land sales and forced evictions that often take place without their Free, Prior, and Informed Consent, providing direct legal support, land survey, and mapping.

We empower and educate Indigenous and traditional Peasant communities through radio talk shows and mobile films screenings on environmental and social justice issues, wildlife crimes, and climate change issues among others. Raising awareness on key legislations and norms for the protection of the environment and human rights of peasants and other people living in rural areas.

We empower Indigenous women and traditional Peasant communities and households through capacity building with the right knowledge and skills, technologies, and connections that boost labor productivity. Forming, registering, supporting, and equipping Indigenous Peasant women groups. Increasing agricultural productivity and market access, forming and strengthening producer groups and cooperatives through training, learning exchange, multi-stakeholder dialogue platforms, business mentoring, and coaching. Increase diversification into non-farm enterprises by offering training in gender, life skills, financial and basic literacy and numeracy skills, as well as linking group members and youth to markets (input-output markets).

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