Abstract
Over the past many decades, social movements led by indigenous and other rural communities have been at the forefront of environmental stewardship. The UN has recognised these contributions by defining the new category of ‘environmental human rights defenders’, which it defines as ‘individuals and groups who, in their personal or professional capacity and in a peaceful manner, strive to protect and promote human rights relating to the environment, including water, air, land, flora and fauna. Unfortunately, environmental defenders are under attack across the globe – in addition to intimidation, harassment, stigmatisation and criminalisation, they also face growing assaults and murders. According to the UN, at least three environmental human rights defenders are killed every week, which is a stark reminder of the difficult intersections of environmental protection and human rights. The corporate-driven and state-led exploitation of forests and other natural resources are thus implicated in the exploitation of both nature and socioeconomically and politically marginalised groups.