Deadline: Continuous

Applications for the "Fund Emergency" to promote respect for and strengthen the protection of African Environmental Defenders working on land and environmental issues by providing urgent emergency support to defenders across Africa.

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Against the backdrop of the challenges faced by African Environmental Defenders and the shrinking civic spaces in most African countries, Natural Justice and partners expressed their commitment to the protection of environmental and land defenders.

To achieve this goal, the NGOs created the "African Environmental Defenders Emergency Fund" to support environmental and land defenders who find themselves in emergency situations due to the nature of their work.

Information on financing

• Maximum US$5000.

Types of support the Emergency Fund can provide

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• The nature of the support provided by the Fund will be in the form of a grant to supervise an emergency or risk situation linked to a defender's activism or actions. This grant will cover any immediate and short-term transitional costs arising from the emergency situation before the defender identifies a more stable source of support. Some of the costs that can be covered by this fund include:
  • Urgent and short-term legal assistance
    • For environmental and land defenders who are threatened with arrest, arbitrarily arrested, detained, maliciously prosecuted or summoned by government authorities, this Fund can be used to cover the cost of legal representation to ensure the defender's freedom once a full trial is underway. The aim is to prevent imminent or ongoing abuses of human rights occur throughout the trial process. This can include: bail/bond; the costs of representation by a lawyer when the defender is summoned by the authorities; temporary injunctions; preservation orders when there is a threat or actual forced evictions; anticipatory bail for defenders who are apprehensive that they may be arrested or re-arrested. In these cases, it must be demonstrated that this is the most effective preventative measure against a clear, direct and imminent threat, among other alternatives.
    • Please note that legal costs for longer-term disputes, such as disputes relating to the determination of title, cannot be covered by this Fund.
  • Cost of bail/security in exceptional circumstances
    • When a defender has secured bail, but for some reason cannot raise the necessary amounts, this Fund can cover the cost of bail in certain circumstances to release the defender from custody during the trial period. Requests for this type of support will be determined on a case-by-case basis, depending on the facts and evidence presented by the applicant.
  • Urgent medical help
    • Environmental Defenders who, in the course of their work, suffer injuries or become seriously ill as a result of any form of physical violence perpetrated against them can be supported by the Fund. In this case, the Fund can provide assistance to the Defender, covering the costs of medical services and treatment. Psychosocial support can also be provided when necessary to enhance recovery from a traumatising experience or improve their emotional well-being.
  • Temporary relocation costs
    • Relocation becomes necessary when a Defender faces a threat of violation of their rights or risks being exposed to other types of danger by their continued presence in a particular place or territory. This Fund can cover any costs arising from relocation for the entire period during which the threat persists.
  • The cost of hiring private security for defenders in exceptional circumstances
    • When a defender fears their life is in danger, they can request funds to hire private security for a short period of time. Requests for this type of support will be determined on a case-by-case basis, depending on the facts and evidence presented by the applicant.
  • Expenses relating to the installation of safety infrastructures in exceptional circumstances
    • The Fund can cover a request to purchase security infrastructure, such as CCTV cameras, as long as adequate justification is provided as to how this will help overcome the emergency situation. This may include a reference from a technology expert on the effectiveness of such infrastructure. Due to the high costs of security infrastructure, it should be made clear in the application that this is the best way to protect a defender, that the request is justified by a third party and that the budget is provided by a service provider.

Eligibility Criteria

• Any person is eligible to apply for a grant if the applicant:-
  • You are a citizen of any African country or a person who legally resides or works in any African country;
  • He is an active advocate for land and environmental rights on the frontline working on issues related to land rights, environmental and climate justice, including but not limited to natural resource rights, land or environmental conflicts, land grabbing and agrarian reform;
  • Are faced with imminent threat or harm due to the nature of their work as a land and environmental defender; AND
  • You have not obtained any other type of support from another entity, organisation or person to support you during the emergency situation.

Ineligible

• This Fund CANNOT support other types of costs not related to an emergency, such as:
  • Maintenance and current administrative or office expenses.
  • Human rights programmes that are not related to a specific and contingent situation of rights violations.
  • Armed security.
  • Emergencies related to natural disasters.
  • The cost of applying to become a citizen of another country.
  • Any other costs that the Committee considers to be non-emergency.

For more information, visit Emergency Fund.