New online course for environmental human rights defenders on the ISHR Academy!

On  World Environment Day, and in parallel to  the 1st European Forum on Environmental Human Rights Defenders, ISHR is introducing its new online course entitled ‘Advocacy for environmental human rights defenders: a pathway’. A conceptual, legal, and strategic resource to help environmental human rights defenders (EHRDs) and their allies translate local environmental struggles into coordinated international and regional advocacy.

EHRDs are those protecting our planet and defending the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment. They are Indigenous People, farmers, scientists, journalists and  young activists from all over the world. Despite their vital role, more than 2,253 of them were killed, harassed, or persecuted between 2012 and 2024 according to Global Witness. More recently, the Business and Human Rights Centre found that the most dangerous sectors to defend rights are mining, agribusiness and fossil fuels. Behind those numbers, there are stories of resistance and solidarity.

Why a new course for EHRDs?

The past few years saw an increased number of positive developments for the protection of the environment and EHRDs. This includes the recognition of the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, the recognition of the vital role of EHRDs by the Human Rights Council via its Resolution 40/11, the Escazú Agreement enshrining the rights of EHRDs in Latin America and the Caribbean and the creation of the Special Rapporteur on Environmental Defenders under the Aarhus Convention. All these developments also require defenders to understand how and when to use these mechanisms. 

I became an environmental human rights defender by coincidence. I need practical tools like this to help me navigate spaces for my advocacy. The ISHR Academy is really a useful one!  Christopher Opio, Uganda 

Defenders themselves have called for tools that strengthen their capacities and sharpen their advocacy. Built for defenders, and with defenders, alongside experts in these mechanisms, this pathway is a direct response to that call.

What can I find in this course?

The pathway is divided into three independent chapters:

Chapter 1 examines the legal and conceptual foundations of  the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, the role of EHRDs in addressing the triple planetary crisis, including accountability of States and non-State actors.

Chapter 2 provides strategic and practical guidance to advance environmental justice through UN human rights mechanisms like the Human Rights Council,  the Special Procedures, the Treaty Bodies or the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and translate local defense  into international advocacy.

Chapter 3 dives into regional mechanisms and other tools, in particular, for the protection of EHRDs. This includes rapid response mechanisms in Europe (Aarhus convention and the Special Rapporteur) and Latin America and other options designed for African and Asia-Pacific defenders through regional institutions and tools. 

Free, self-paced, modular and flexible, each chapter can be taken independently, enriched with case studies, videos, and additional resources. You set the pace according to your needs.

How do I know if this is for me? 

You know that bringing international attention could create pressure for change, but you don’t know where to start? You have an idea of who the Special Rapporteur on climate change is, the International Covenant of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights does, but don’t know the steps to engage with them? The pathway walks you through exactly this.

Whether you are a community leader facing displacement, an environmental lawyer seeking international leverage, a representative of a grassroots organization whose government has stopped listening, a young advocate learning to navigate international spaces, or an NGO supporting defenders on the frontline — this pathway was built for you.

Environmental human rights defenders are often the first to raise the alarm. I often meet people who face pressure or harassment for defending the environmental rates and without knowing that international tools can support them. In this module I will explain what my mandate can do and how defenders can engage with it.

Astrid Puentes Riaño, UN Special Rapporteur on the right to a healthy environment

By the end of this pathway, you will be able to:

• understand who EHRDs are, the contexts they operate in, and the legal frameworks for their protection
• identify international and regional advocacy avenues, within the UN and beyond, to advance the right to a clean, healthy environment
• plan strategic engagement with mechanisms based on your context, and hold governments and non-State actors accountable.

Start learning now at the ISHR Academy!

ISHR warmly thanks all the human rights defenders, experts, Special Rapporteurs and UN staff who supported us in building this course.