Global Defenders: 124 Lives Lost in 2025 Struggle for Land and Environment
At least 124 land and environmental defenders were killed globally in 2025, with Colombia and Brazil accounting for 52% of the deaths. The total number of defenders killed and disappeared since 2012 has reached 2,375. Indigenous Peoples and small-scale farmers faced the highest risk, with 44 Indigenous defenders killed in 2025. The struggle continues, with defenders in Asia increasingly targeted by criminalization and intimidation, but communities are resilient and committed to protecting their land and rights.
Originally reported by AllAfrica