Belém, Brazil — As countries gather for the first week of the UNFCCC COP30 in Belém, Brazil, the Women’s Earth and Climate Action Network (WECAN) is holding a press conference for Indigenous women leaders who are calling for urgent action to protect the Amazon. During the press conference, WECAN is launching the "Escazú Agreement Toolkit for Women Land Defenders and Frontline Communities," a resource designed to help women land defenders navigate their country's domestic laws to achieve the protections of the Escazú Agreement.

Adopted in 2018, the Escazú Agreement is a multilateral treaty that spans Latin America and the Caribbean, serving as the first legally binding agreement for environmental defenders. It represents a landmark achievement in the pursuit of environmental justice, remediation, and transparency. If implemented effectively, the Escazú Agreement can help break the cycle of violence against women land defenders and provide safeguards for vital ecosystems. However, the journey to accessing these rights can be fraught with legal complexities and barriers, particularly for women who sit on the frontlines of defending their land and communities.

The toolkits are a timely resource for land defenders, policymakers, advocates, and others at a critical moment for the global community. Patricia Gualinga (Kichwa), Spokeswoman for Mujeres Amazonicas Defensoras de la Selva, and WECAN Coordinator in the Ecuadorian Amazon stated: “Indigenous Peoples are the ones who defend the ecosystems our planet relies on for survival. That is why we, women land defenders, are raising our voices, to say no to extraction and harm, and to protect our territories for future generations. This is why we need the Escazú Agreement, to continue our work to protect our territories and Mother Earth.”

Watch the press conference, available online, here.

According to Global Witness, 2,253 environmental defenders have been killed around the world since 2012. In 2024, 82% of those killings occurred in the Latin American region. This violence has a significant impact on local communities and their ability to safeguard vital ecosystems. At COP30 in Belém, Brazil, the Escazú Agreement will be integral to negotiations around forests, agriculture, and social development, which comprise three of the six priority thematic axes published by the COP30 Presidency. Many studies have shown that the most effective way to protect biodiverse regions is to respect and uphold the rights and sovereignty of Indigenous peoples.

When releasing the toolkits, Osprey Orielle Lake, WECAN Executive Director, stated, “This is a critical time to stand with courageous women land defenders who are fighting every day to protect Indigenous rights, their territories, the climate, and their very lives. The Escazu Agreement is a vital instrument for land defenders, and we want to ensure they have full access to implement its protections.”

The set of toolkits contains information specific to different countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, including: Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Colombia, and Antigua and Barbuda. Find all toolkits available here.

Enabling women to participate safely in environmental decision-making processes is key to addressing the root causes of environmental degradation and deforestation, making the Escazú Agreement a landmark achievement in the pursuit of environmental justice. However, in many places, significant gaps persist between what the law states and the daily reality on the ground.

That gap is especially notable in the Amazon region. Although it is one of the most biodiverse ecosystems on Earth, extractive industries pose a significant threat to the health of the Amazon’s communities and ecosystems. As COP30 brings global attention to the Amazon, the vital role of land defenders must be acknowledged and their rights respected. These toolkits serve as essential resources for navigating legal complexities and ensuring that frontline defenders receive the full protections guaranteed by the Escazú Agreement.

The toolkits aim to support the transformative potential of this historic Agreement to build a thriving and equitable future for all, especially those on the frontlines of defending land and ecosystems. The toolkits are developed by the Women’s Earth and Climate Action Network (WECAN) with support from the Cyrus R. Vance Center for International Justice and its international network of law firms.

translated press release coming soon in Spanish and Portuguese.