Co-Violations of Rights
Report Background
Around the world, governments and corporations are harassing, threatening, attacking, imprisoning, and killing defenders of environmental and human rights. Meanwhile, the Natural World suffers from escalating threats including extinctions, toxic pollution, deforestation, mining, a rapidly changing climate, and many other onslaughts. Many of these harms rise to the level of “co-violations,” which occur when governments, industries, or both violate both nature’s rights and human rights with the same action.
Recognizing this alarming trend, Earth Law Center released a report called “Fighting for Our Shared Future: Protecting Both Human Rights and Nature’s Rights.” This report examined and analyzed 100 such cases of co-violations of human and environmental rights and made recommendations on how to establish a better future for people and planet.
Since then, a wave of new, increasingly violent cases of rights co-violations have swept across the globe, including two Goldman Environmental Prize winners. Berta Cáceres was murdered for helping the indigenous Lenca people of Honduras fight against the Agua Zarca Dam and other “mega-dams” that destroy riparian ecosystems. Maxima Acuña de Chaupe was viciously attacked in Peru for her opposition to gold mining within the an Andean tropical cloud forest. These co-violations indicate serious, systemic governance problems in which the rights of destructive industries outweigh the fundamental rights and well-being of people and the Earth.
Read our Report on Co-Violations, 2016 Update - Fighting for Our Shared Future: Protecting Both Human Rights and Nature's Rights
This report includes only some of the many co-violations occurring across the globe. We want more stories to be heard. Submit your own information below for review.
CO-VIOLATIONS REPORT FINDINGS
On International Human Rights Day, Earth Law Center released its second annual report detailing these and other co-violations of human rights and Nature’s rights worldwide. The report analyzes another 100 cases – 200 in total – and highlights many chilling trends.
For example, 28 percent of examined cases involved at least one murder, while 30 percent of involved harm to indigenous peoples’ rights, despite their comprising only five percent of the population. The recent rise in injustices toward environmental and human rights defenders was deemed a “truly global crisis” by Michel Forst, U.N. Special Rapporteur. Additionally, nearly 60 percent of the cases resulted in biodiversity loss, underscoring an alarming study indicating that the world is now on track to lose two-thirds of Earth’s animal life by 2020.
What You Can do to Report a Co-Violation
Everyone can help stop the spread of co-violations.
You can submit alleged rights violations via the United Nations Special Rapporteurs website. The UN Special Rapporteurs act upon submitted information and notify the affected governments.
Affected communities can also reach out to other organizations working to bring awareness to and address co-violations including the Global Witness, Environmental Justice Organizations, Liabilities and Trade (EJOLT), The Gaia Foundation, and Yes to Life No to Mining Campaign.
Other Information
Universal Declaration of the Rights of Mother Earth (April 2010)
Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Dec. 1948)
Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (Sept. 2007)
United Nations, "Report of the Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders," A/71/281 (3 August 2016)
Environmental Justice Organisations, Liabilities and Trade (EJOLT) Project, “Global Atlas of Environmental Justice,” interactive mapping platform detailing 1000 environmental conflicts globally.
Global Witness, "Deadly Environment" (2014), describing the rising threats to environmental and land rights advocates worldwide.
Global Witness, "How Many More?" (April 2015), detailing the sharp increase in killings of environment and land defenders (as the report went to press, three defenders were killed in the space of three days)
Global Witness, “On Dangerous Ground” (June 2016), finding that 2015 was the deadliest year yet for environmental defenders, with over three environmental defenders killed each week on average.
“Yes to Life, No to Mining” campaign, helping helps people fighting devastating mining operations in their communities
Step-by-step guide to protecting your community from mining and other extractive industries.
SUBMIT INFORMATION ON ADDITIONAL CO-VIOLATIONS
ELC invites the public to submit information on additional co-violations. Please include a summary below, including any relevant links, and we will review the case promptly.