All around the world, human and environmental rights defenders drive civil society movements in their countries. They challenge powerful actors and engage communities—often those with limited awareness or capacity to advocate for their own rights—to build momentum for change. Despite facing significant threats and risks, these defenders remain committed to protecting both people and the environment.
In Latin America, EarthRights works alongside defender- partners who are deeply committed to advancing meaningful change in their communities and in their countries. These partnerships have fostered initiatives that strengthen collaboration across borders and amplify collective impact. One of the ways EarthRights has worked with defender-partners is through the “Indigenous Legal Defense in Latin America” Program or the “Seminario” Program. The Seminario Program started in 2015, providing a space for leaders in Latin America to build skills in legal and campaign strategies and especially foster collaboration among indigenous defenders in the region.
To better understand the program’s impact, we spoke with alumni about the most significant changes they have witnessed with contributions from Seminario. Here are a few of their stories:
| Colombia Afro-Colombian Community’s Right to Consent is Recognized by Court In 2022, the Constitutional Court of Colombia recognized the fundamental rights to informed prior consent of the Afro-Colombian community, Casimiro Meza Community Council (COCONEBO) of the Boquerón District, Cesar. This ruling came after COCONEBO filed an acción de tutela (constitutional protection action) against the Ministry of the Interior of Colombia, the Bogotá Energy Group (GEB), and the Regional Autonomous Corporation of Cesar -CORPOCESAR for violating their right to be consulted.The case was prepared by the community’s legal team, which included an alumna of EarthRights’ Seminario 2019 Program. She highlighted that the training strengthened her skills and confidence in drafting legal documents—such as petitions, legal actions, and official statements—on behalf of the Council. Reflecting on the experience, she noted that “the examples motivated [her] by showing that achieving positive outcomes for the community is indeed possible.” Why it Matters: In Colombia, ethnic communities that are not listed in the entity database of the Ministry of Interior often face challenges in accessing rights, especially prior consultation (consulta previa) and territorial protection. While the 1991 Constitution provides protection for ethnic diversity, the legal recognition process lags behind when faced with administrative processes such as this. In COCONEBO’s case, the court highlighted that the project developed by GEB directly impacted the indigenous community, affecting the habitat of native species located in their territory, from which the community derives part of its livelihood. No prior consultation was accomplished for the project despite COCONEBO carrying out all possible actions to achieve recognition. For more information about this case, visit https://www.corteconstitucional.gov.co/relatoria/2022/T-219-22.htm. Story Taken through Outcome Harvesting Interviews by EarthRights’ External Evaluator in 2023. |
| Peru Women Leaders Combined Legal Tools and Mobilization in Defense of Indigenous Rights Since 2009, National Organization of Andean and Amazonian Indigenous Women of Peru (ONAMIAP) has strengthened women’s leadership and elevated their voices in the fight for Indigenous rights, environmental protection, and the defense of ancestral territories. After participating in EarthRights International’s Seminario 2018 Program, an ONAMIAP member reflected on how the experience—particularly the exchange of knowledge with regional experts and peer organizations— helped reshape their advocacy strategies. The organization moved beyond primarily relying on social mobilization and began incorporating legal approaches, including the use of state and local regulations to defend territorial rights. Drawing on lessons from shared struggles across the region, this shift marked a more integrated strategy: combining grassroots organizing with legal defense to uphold the autonomy and rights of Indigenous communities and peoples. Why It Matters: Strategic shifts in how indigenous rights are defended can significantly change outcomes of an organization. The alumna reflected on its importance during our interview: “ONAMIAP started with mainly social mobilization: community organizing, public advocacy and collective action.” The approach is powerful but it often struggles to directly enforce rights when strong actors ignore demands. Legal tools enable communities to ask for recognition for territorial rights citing constitutions, land laws, and local regulation. Legal action can also raise the cost of violations by corporations and government projects because it could lead to injunctions, fines or halted projects – and may act as a deterrent. Protests can win concessions, but legal rulings and regulatory protections can create longer-term safeguards for ancestral territories. Lastly, learning legal frameworks and rights-based arguments build internal expertise, so communities themselves rely less on outside intermediaries over time. To learn more about ONAMIAP, visit https://www.onamiap.org/. Story Taken through Outcome Harvesting Interviews by EarthRights’ External Evaluator in 2023. |
| Bolivia Protected woman defender from being detained. In 2023, a woman defender working with the National Coordinator for the Defense of Indigenous Native Peasant Territories and Protected Areas (CONTIOCAP) faced imminent arrest. She was notified of a scheduled hearing and her fellow advocates were certain it would lead to her arrest. Her advocacy was part of a broader campaign challenging a corporation that encroached and violated territorial rights of indigenous communities. She was not alone. In response, her colleagues wrote to the embassy of the country where the corporation was registered, reporting the violations of indigenous rights taking place in their territory. The following day, the hearing was suspended and the defender was not arrested. An alumna of EarthRights’ Seminario 2018 Program later reflected that the knowledge and networks she and her colleagues formed part of through the Program were critical in this moment. They had learned that international corporations can be held accountable not only locally, but also in their home countries and this accountability could be demanded by indigenous communities using legal and diplomatic channels. Why it Matters: The alumna interviewed reflected, “We’re really just flying blind when it comes to defending our rights. I mean, in terms of information, I mean, knowledge of our rights, much of what we don’t do in defense of our territory is due to a lack of awareness of what legal recourse exists, or of the rights that are there, how to assert them, or what the government or companies are telling us in response, how to interpret those things. We learned [during the training] to seek information, to substantiate our claims, to identify the violated rights, and … obviously to also use diplomatic language….” Defenders in Latin America face intimidation and threats 80% times more than in any country. Furthermore, a study in 2023 also shows that 3 in 4 women defenders have experienced threats and intimidation in the region. When equipped with a working knowledge of the law and their legal and diplomatic options, defenders are more likely to identify violations when they happen, choose the right channel (courts, regulatory complaints, international mechanisms, appeals, etc.), provide evidence for their claims and effectively communicate them, and thereby reduce the power imbalance criminalization and threats from powerful stakeholders introduce. To learn more about CONTIOCAP, visit https://www.facebook.com/contiocap/. Story Taken through Outcome Harvesting Interviews by EarthRights’ External Evaluator in 2023. |
To learn more about our Latin America Seminario Program, see Legal Defense Training Program for Land and Environmental Defenders in Latin America.
For more stories of how our global training programs have impacted individuals and communities, see Training the Next Generation of Environmental Defenders Around th