Gloria Capitan fought against coal. She was shot in the Philippines
Environmental activist Gloria Capitan opposed the construction of coal stockpile facilities. She was shot in a bar in the province of Bataan on 4 July.
69 million children risk dying from preventable causes, according to UNICEF
UNICEF’s annual report shows progress, yet overall figures remain unacceptable. The UN agency calls for immediate action.
Love trumps hate. A weekend of Pride in New York
After a moment of silence for the victims of the Orlando shooting, the New York Pride Parade began at noon on the 26th of June. Thousands of people flooded the streets of Manhattan to celebrate the 46th annual LGBT pride march: 32,000 marchers, 425 groups and around 2.5 million spectators. This year the event came at an
Australia. 52,000 hectares of land returned to Larrakia Aboriginals
The longest running aboriginal land claim in Australian history, the Kenbi land claim, was concluded on the 21st of June. This date signified the end of a 37 year long legal battle for the Larrakia aboriginal people against the Australian government: a fight to be given back ownership of their traditional lands. The victory of the Larrakia This
What Justin Trudeau is doing for Aboriginal Canadians
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a new budget in March that pledges over 8 billion Canadian dollars for policies aimed at improving the lives of Aboriginal Canadians. This marks a significant increase in government funding focused on the country’s indigenous peoples, with the intent of reversing centuries of discrimination. Aboriginal Canadians Currently, the aboriginal community in
Kawahiva indigenous tribe wins battle against illegal logging in Brazil
Protected areas to safeguard the Kawahiva people – one of the uncontacted indigenous tribes of Brazil’s Mato Grosso state – from the risk of extinction. These will be created according to a decree issued last month by Brazil’s recently appointed Minister of Justice Eugênio Aragão. Survival International’s campaign This decision came after months of campaigning
United Nations, blue helmets accused of sex abuse in Africa
The UN denounced 44 cases of sexual abuse by the blue helmets so far this year. Only few of them have been punished.
Edward Loure, Goldman Prize winner and defender of indigenous land rights in Tanzania
Tanzanian activist, community leader and Maasai tribe member Edward Loure won the Goldman Environmental Prize for Africa in April 2016 for his efforts securing the land rights of Tanzanian indigenous people. For years he has been fighting to demonstrate that native people are good stewards of the land and local ecosystems. The Goldman Prize is the
Mercury poisoning of indigenous people plagues the Amazon. Illegal mining is the cause
Survival International, a global movement for tribal peoples’ rights, has denounced mercury poisoning in Latin America in a letter to the UN Special Rapporteur for Health. The organisation highlights Venezuela, Peru and Brazil as countries that don’t comply with procedures to monitor the effects of mining on the environment. Mercury contamination, which commonly follows illegal
Myanmar releases political prisoners, hundreds of them
The newly elected president of Myanmar, U Htin Kyaw, has released more than 200 political prisoners. The order comes weeks after the new government’s appointment and days after it took office on the 4th of April. In early April Aung San Suu Kyi, who effectively steers the government, had announced that Myanmar’s new leadership considered freeing political prisoners a priority,