Living Forests, Strong Communities
Colombia is home to some of the world’s most biologically diverse regions. Yet these ecosystems are under severe threat—an estimated 171,000 hectares of forest are lost each year, leading to biodiversity decline, climate disruption, and the erosion of Indigenous cultural heritage. Conflicts over natural resources continue, often accompanied by human rights violations. Indigenous peoples and forest-dependent communities face harassment and violence.
Colombia has signed the Escazú Agreement, which aims to guarantee public access to environmental information, participation in environmental decision-making, and access to justice in environmental matters. This agreement opens a window of opportunity for communities to assert their rights and protect nature. However, to demand its implementation, they must first understand what the agreement entails.
Through this project, Stichting Hivos aims to empower Indigenous and forest-dependent communities with advocacy tools, legal instruments, and monitoring systems to help them defend their land and biodiversity.
The project is supported with 2 290 000 SEK.
What will happen in the project?
The first phase focuses on increasing awareness of the Escazú Agreement and the rights it provides. This will be achieved through broad communication efforts, such as radio broadcasts, and workshops with Indigenous leaders and environmental defenders.
The second phase focuses on supporting communities in regions most affected by illegal logging and extractive industries. These communities will develop policy proposals and legal recommendations that reference the Escazú Agreement. This approach helps leverage the agreement’s provisions, which call for combating illegal deforestation and guaranteeing Indigenous territorial rights.
The final phase aims to ensure that local populations have the opportunity to participate in environmental decision-making processes.
Why is the project funded?
The Amazon plays a vital role in regulating the global climate and is home to extraordinary biodiversity that must be preserved. By equipping Indigenous communities with the tools to uphold their rights, they can actively contribute to protecting the forest and its ecosystems.
Project time status
3%
This project started in August 2025 and ends in July 2027
For more information: https://hivos.org/program/living-forests-strong-communities/
