Webinar: Learning from international Environmental Human Rights Defenders
ERCS is delighted to host an evening of hearing and learning from international Environmental Human Rights Defenders supported by the University of Dundee Scottish Human Rights Fellowship.
In the past year, we have seen our right to protest curtailed and all our human rights come under siege. Not only has a UN body found (again) that Scotland has failed to guarantee environmental justice under the Aarhus Convention, the UK government are reportedly considering leaving the Convention to avoid legal action on planning decisions which contribute to the climate and nature crises.
Join us to hear from experts who have challenged power and defended our right to a healthy environment. Each speaker will reflect on their motivations, successes and learnings to share.
Defenders will share experiences from the grassroots to the UN, the power of networks and solidarity and the impact of Scotland’s human rights movement on the world.
There will be time for questions at the end so that we can draw out the themes and relevance to Scotland including the intersections of poverty, race, gender and geography.
Dr Harriet Fildes, Head of Protections Programmes for the Scottish Human Rights Defender Fellowship, will facilitate the discussion with guest speakers:
- Dr Claudia Samayoa – President of the World Organisation Against Torture, Guatemala
- I – Indigenous young leader and Woman Human Rights Defender, Colombia
- A – Whistleblower and environmental defender/ Forest Sentinel, West Africa.
For security, this webinar will not be recorded so please do make sure you register to attend.
About the Scottish Human Rights Defenders Fellowship
The Scottish Human Rights Defender Fellowship supports the work of international HRDs at-risk due to their work. It is a Scottish Government funded initiative, delivered by the University of Dundee since its inception in 2018, and runs in partnership Amnesty International, Front Line Defenders, Peace Brigades International and other civil society and academic contributors such as Shelter City Global Network, the European Union Temporary Relocation Platform and the University of St Andrews. The SHRDF is a human rights protection mechanism which provides temporary relocation to at-risk HRDs, where they can rest and continue their vital work from a place of safety.
We support temporary relocation to Scotland for a holistic programme aimed at enabling at-risk defenders’ long-term security and protection. Through capacity-building, respite, and international networking, the Fellowship equips defenders with practical skills in advocacy, communications, research, security, and wellbeing. The Fellowship was designed to support human rights defenders who face significant risks for their work in protecting human rights globally, particularly those at the grassroots level and working on sensitive human rights issues, such as LGBTQ+ rights, women’s rights, and the protection of indigenous communities, land and environment.
The SHRDF has welcomed 21 HRDs from 17 different countries to Scotland. During this time the SHRDF has achieved great success, including:
- supporting hundreds of HRDs through its wider network, training of trainers, resource mobilisation and collective protection
- supported alumni to establish international human rights organisations, projects and programmes
- contributed to the development of internationally recognised guidance and policies
- been commended by the UN Special Rapporteur on HRDs
- been recognised by leading international human rights protection organisations as best practice
While the SHRDF is a temporary relocation programme, we maintain active contact with alumni and continue to act as a mid to long-term protection mechanism to support them and their work after they return to their communities.
Illustration ‘The Hand that Feeds’ by Felipe Moia for ArtistsForClimate.org. This work was created as part of the 2025 edition of SPRINTS for Climate, a global creative bootcamp where artists had a weekend to produce open-license visuals that inspire climate action. A creative collaboration between Fine Acts and TED Countdown. (Edited, CC-BY-NC-SA)
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Webinar: Learning from international Environmental Human Rights Defenders
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