USA, April 22, 2024 — As countries gather for the Third Conference of Parties on the Escazú Agreement in Santiago, Chile, the Women’s Earth and Climate Action Network (WECAN) is launching the "Escazú Agreement Toolkit for Women Land Defenders and Frontline Communities," a resource designed to help women land defenders navigate the domestic laws of their country to achieve the protections of the Escazú Agreement.

The Escazú Agreement, formally known as the Regional Agreement on Access to Information, Public Participation, and Justice in Environmental Matters in Latin America and the Caribbean, represents a landmark achievement in the pursuit of environmental justice, transparency, and sustainable development across the Latin American and Caribbean region. However, the journey to accessing these rights can be fraught with legal complexities and barriers, particularly for women who are at the forefront of defending their land and communities.

These toolkits are a timely resource for land defenders, policymakers, advocates and others at a critical moment for the global community.

According to Global Witness, 1,910 environmental defenders have been killed around the world since 2012. In 2022, 88% of those killings occurred in the Latin America region. This violence has a significant impact on local communities and the safeguarding of vital ecosystems. This year during the Escazú COP3, parties will continue to discuss implementation and compliance of the Accord.

In a broadcast to launch the toolkits, Paty Gualinga, an Indigenous women land defender from Saryaku, Ecuador and spokeswoman for Mujeres Amazonicas, stated:

“We still have sisters who are fighting against mining, who are raising their voices, who are facing threats and whose families are at risk — and this is why we urge compliance with the Escazú Agreement in our countries.”

The set of toolkits contain information specific to 5 different countries in Latin America and the Caribbean: Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Colombia, and Antigua and Barbuda, with an additional toolkit for Brazil to be released later this year. The toolkits aim to support the transformative potential of this historic Agreement to build a thriving and equitable future for all, including those courageous individuals defending land and ecosystems. The toolkit was developed by the Women’s Earth and Climate Action Network (WECAN) with support from the Cyrus R. Vance Center for International Justice.

Many studies have shown that the most effective way to protect biodiverse regions is to protect the rights and sovereignty of Indigenous peoples. In addition to the toolkits, WECAN is also releasing a set of reports on the right to Free, Prior, and Informed Consent to accompany the toolkits. The toolkits follow the release of previous legal analysis and evaluation of how the Escazú Agreement can be best implemented in different countries.