Enrique Eguren is a medical doctor with, Master’s in Humanitarian Action and a PhD in International and Intercultural Studies. He is an independent consultant. Guest professor and member of the Advisory Council of the Pedro Arrupe Human Rights Institute, University of Deusto (Spain). Expert in the protection of human rights defenders and in public policies for such protection.

Summary

The Escazu Agreement is a treaty for Latin America and the Caribbean that addresses the rights of access to information, public participation and justice in environmental matters. It provides a regional legal framework for the protection of environmental human rights defenders. This paper analyses the meaning and scope of the Escazú Agreement for the protection of individual and collective environmental human rights defenders. It examines the challenges and opportunities for its implementation, especially concerning the complexity of the issues to be addressed, participation in planning and governance structures, building political will of governments around national implementation plans, and some characteristics of national roadmaps. Finally, specific recommendations for countries and the Conference of the Parties to the Agreement are proposed.

Find the Policy brief (Spanish only) here.