Global Witness published Roots of Resistance: Documenting the Global Struggles of Defenders Protecting Land and Environmental Rights (September 2025), its annual report on risks and impacts to defenders of land and environmental rights.
Human Level’s Take:
- In 2024, 146 land and environmental defenders were killed or disappeared, with Latin America accounting for 82% of cases. Colombia was the deadliest country, followed by Guatemala, Mexico, Brazil, the Philippines and Honduras.
- Indigenous Peoples, Afro-descendent communities and small-scale farmers were disproportionately affected, with violence often extending to families, communities and others in their organisations.
- A key reason for the continued trend is weak judicial systems and impunity, as most perpetrators escape prosecution. For example, in Colombia, only 5.2% of murders of social leaders and defenders since 2002 have been prosecuted. Countries that repress the rights to association, assembly and expression make up the majority of places where defenders were killed.
- The top sectors tied to attacks were mining, logging and agribusiness, with mining accounting for the highest number of cases (29). In addition, a third of the cases involved organized crime and 17 cases involved members of armed forces and police. Other sectors linked to attacks were infrastructure projects, poaching and hydropower.
- Global Witness highlights top actions for companies to take. First, companies are expected to respect the rights of Indigenous, traditional and local communities, ensuring operations proceed only after meaningful consultation and free, prior and informed consent for Indigenous Peoples. Second, they can strengthen their own human rights and environmental due diligence while supporting mandatory due diligence legislation. Third, they need to enforce zero-tolerance policies for attacks on defenders and ensure remedies like restitution, compensation, rehabilitation and safeguards.
Some key takeaways:
- Where defenders are most at risk: According to Global Witness, 146 people defending land and environmental rights were killed or disappeared in 2024, bringing the total to 2,253 since 2012. Colombia was the deadliest country, with 48 cases, and Latin America accounted for 82% of all incidents, particularly affecting Indigenous Peoples and small-scale farmers. After Colombia, the top five countries for killings and disappearances are Guatemala, Mexico, Brazil, the Philippines and Honduras. Among the 22 countries where Global Witness recorded killings and disappearances last year, more than half were classified as “repressed” or “closed” by the CIVICUS Monitor, limiting defenders’ rights to association, assembly and expression. Of the five countries with the highest numbers of incidents in 2024, all are considered “repressed” except Brazil, which is categorised as “obstructed.” Africa and Asia accounted for smaller shares of attacks on defenders (6% and 11%), though limited data and difficulty accessing information suggests actual violence may be higher.
- Who is targeted and why: Certain groups have been disproportionately targeted over the past decade. In 2024, about a third of those killed or who disappeared were Indigenous or Afro-descendent, another third were small-scale farmers, and 10% were women, including five from Mexico. Violence often extends beyond individual defenders, targeting families, communities and organisations to intimidate and silence; there were 14 related killings documented in 2024, including two children. Global Witness reports that impunity for crimes is the greatest driver behind these attacks, as perpetrators and “authors” of attacks often escape prosecution due to failures of law enforcement and the judicial system. Weak judicial systems mean perpetrators of attacks on defenders rarely face justice. For example, in Colombia, only 5.2% of murders of social leaders and human rights defenders since 2002 have been prosecuted. Mining was the deadliest sector in 2024, followed by logging and agribusiness, with additional threats from infrastructure projects, poaching and hydropower. Nearly a third of cases involved organised crime, which fuels human rights abuses, deforestation and corruption, while State actors, including armed forces and police, were linked to 17 killings. Identifying the perpetrators can be further complicated by overlapping interests in some places between crime, government and corporations.
- What companies can do: The report makes top recommendations for companies to prevent harm to defenders in their value chains. Companies are expected to respect and uphold the rights of Indigenous, traditional and local communities, especially regarding land, resources and the environment. Operations should only proceed after transparent, meaningful consultations with impacted people and obtaining free, prior, and informed consent of Indigenous Peoples. In addition, companies can strengthen human rights and environmental due diligence by implementing robust policies aligned with international standards, explicitly protecting land and environmental defenders across all operations and supply chains. They can also create a supportive regulatory environment by supporting mandatory due diligence laws, such as the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, to ensure accountability. Further, companies need to ensure legal compliance and accountability at all levels, implementing zero-tolerance policies against attacks on defenders and urgently addressing illegal land acquisition or violations of consent rights. Commitments should be supported by actionable plans aligned with expert recommendations, with civil society given meaningful access to monitor progress. Accessible, transparent grievance mechanisms should provide effective remedies, including restitution, compensation, rehabilitation and safeguards to prevent repeated harm.
