abusesaffiliationarrow-downarrow-leftarrow-rightarrow-upattack-typeburgerchevron-downchevron-leftchevron-rightchevron-upClock iconclosedeletedevelopment-povertydiscriminationdollardownloademailenvironmentexternal-linkfacebookfiltergenderglobegroupshealthC4067174-3DD9-4B9E-AD64-284FDAAE6338@1xinformation-outlineinformationinstagraminvestment-trade-globalisationissueslabourlanguagesShapeCombined Shapeline, chart, up, arrow, graphLinkedInlocationmap-pinminusnewsorganisationotheroverviewpluspreviewArtboard 185profilerefreshIconnewssearchsecurityPathStock downStock steadyStock uptagticktooltiptwitteruniversalityweb

这页面没有简体中文版本,现以English显示

内容有以下的语言版本: English, español, Português

简报

2023年9月27日

Guardians at risk: Confronting corporate abuse in Latin America and the Caribbean

Shutterstock (licensed)

From fighting deforestation and illegal mining in the Amazon to raising concerns about the impacts of megaprojects in Mexico and protecting sacred Indigenous sites in Nicaragua, communities, workers and individuals are courageously protecting their rights and environments across Latin America and the Caribbean. Unfortunately, in doing this important work, they face significant risks.

Latin America and the Caribbean is one of the most dangerous regions in the world for human rights defenders (HRDs). Between January 2015 and December 2022 (inclusive), we identified nearly 2,000 attacks against HRDs in Latin America and the Caribbean, representing 42% of total attacks (4,700) recorded worldwide. These included killings, judicial harassment, death threats, disappearances and other forms of intimidation. Indigenous defenders experience a disproportionately high level of attacks and while defenders of all genders are targeted due to their human rights work, women defenders often face specifically gendered attacks. Given this research is based on publicly available information – and official government data on attacks is extremely limited – the problem is undoubtedly more severe than these figures suggest.

The figures on attacks in our region, while devastating, demonstrate the need to continue advancing comprehensive strategies for the effective protection of those who defend our rights at a very high cost. For each of those people, their communities, our nations, and for the rights of future generations.
Viviana Krsticevic, Executive Director, Centre for Justice and International Law (CEJIL)

Key findings:

  • 1,976 attacks recorded against human rights defenders raising concerns about business in Latin America and the Caribbean (Jan 2015 - Dec 2022) - making up 42% of total attacks recorded globally.
  • Six countries accounted for 86% of attacks in the region: Honduras (353), Mexico (322), Brazil (302), Colombia (267), Peru (252) and Guatemala (209).
  • The most dangerous sectors for HRDs are mining, agribusiness, renewable energy, logging and lumber, and oil, gas and coal.
  • 28% of attacks recorded were killings.
  • 29% of attacks involved judicial harassment
  • 35% of attacks were against Indigenous defenders
  • 85% of attacks targeted HRDs protecting their land rights and right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment

The high number of attacks occurs in the context of centuries of colonisation, patriarchy, exploitation of natural resources, denial of rights to land and territories, and racism and discrimination against Indigenous and Afro-descendant Peoples and peasant communities in the region. Structural racism and discrimination are embedded in government policy and practice – and economic interests often take priority over protecting human rights, with a widespread lack of respect for the self-determination and autonomy of Indigenous Peoples and their right to free, prior and informed consent (FPIC). In addition to historically problematic sectors for HRDs such as agriculture and logging, renewable energy and mining – both critical to the global energy transition – feature prominently amongst the most dangerous sectors for defenders in the region.

The scale of lethal and non-lethal attacks against those protecting their rights, natural resources and the environment from business-related harms reveals the failure of governments in Latin America and the Caribbean to fulfil their duty to protect human rights and the insufficiency of voluntary corporate action to respect human rights.

Despite the significant risks HRDs are experiencing in the region, advances in international law and guidance such as the Escazú agreement, the Esperanza Protocol and the upcoming legally binding instrument on business and human rights represent an important opportunity to increase protection of defenders and strengthen access to remedy in the region. In particular, the upcoming Advisory Opinion on Climate Change by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights presents a critical opportunity for the Court to develop standards for states to safeguard HRDs in the context of harmful business operations connected to the climate crisis and recognise core expectations under international law for business actors to protect defenders. In addition, states in Latin America and the Caribbean should adopt legislation recognising the rights of defenders and their vital role in promoting human rights, sustainable development and a healthy environment – and commit to zero-tolerance for attacks.

隐私资讯

本网站使用 cookie 和其他网络存储技术。您可以在下方设置您的隐私选项。您所作的更改将立即生效。

有关我们使用网络存储的更多信息,请参阅我们的 数据使用和 Cookie 政策

Strictly necessary storage

ON
OFF

Necessary storage enables core site functionality. This site cannot function without it, so it can only be disabled by changing settings in your browser.

分析 cookie

ON
OFF

您浏览本网页时我们将以Google Analytics收集信息。接受此cookie将有助我们理解您的浏览资讯,并协助我们改善呈现资讯的方法。所有分析资讯都以匿名方式收集,我们并不能用相关资讯得到您的个人信息。谷歌在所有主要浏览器中都提供退出Google Analytics的添加应用程式。

市场营销cookies

ON
OFF

我们从第三方网站获得企业责任资讯,当中包括社交媒体和搜寻引擎。这些cookie协助我们理解相关浏览数据。

您在此网站上的隐私选项

本网站使用cookie和其他网络存储技术来增强您在必要核心功能之外的体验。