ocean defender

3 TOOLKIT FOR OCEANS AND HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS Acknowledgement The production of this Toolkit, designed to help com- munity people organize, monitor their aquatic ecosys- tems, and defend their human rights, has been achieved with the support of Rafto Foundation for Human Rights. Thanks to the HOMEF Team of Stephen Oduware, Ese Ojeanalo and Jasper Koikoibo who worked on the drafting, compilation, and production of this toolkit. The publication or part of it can be used for free with proper reference given to the original publication. The content is the sole production of HOMEF. 5 TOOLKIT FOR OCEANS AND HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS Foreword Our oceans have never been treated so carelessly as we see these days. Along with increased extractivist activities in the seas, overfishing and unreported fishing come increasing human rights abuses against the populations who live on coastlines and others whose economies are connected to the oceans. With these aberrations and to protect the rights of the people and defend aquatic ecosystems, the importance of community organizing, and advocacy cannot be over-emphasized. It is important for people to make concerted efforts to stand up for their environment, lives and livelihoods, and defendant their human rights based on knowledge and solidarity. Acknowledging that this can only be done most effectively when the people un- derstand what they deserve and what to do to get what they deserve, this toolkit presents the needed knowledge, and practical steps for an effective advocacy – to entrench that desired and deserved wellbeing peoples. The toolkit is a living document that can be adapted for different contexts in- cluding for community people, businesses and even policy makers. Feel free to adapt the contents of the modules to suit your requirements. It is hoped that, with the use of this toolkit abuse of human rights and harm- ful environmental activities will be challenged and curtailed. Nnimmo Bassey, Director, HOMEF. 7 TOOLKIT FOR OCEANS AND HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS Introduction It is a known fact that exploration, exploitation, and production of fossil fuel activities going on in communities have grave impacts on the land, water, and air of communities where these activities have/ is going on and even other connected communities. What is also true is the fact that there exist a lopsided power relation between the government and corporations on the one hand and the commu- nities on the other hand. The relationship between community people and their environment is both intrinsic and symbolic as their health, socio-cultural, eco- nomic, and spiritual wellbeing are connected to their environment. When their environment is polluted, it comes down with so many implications for the people. All-round, these communities have been sacrifice zones, highly marginalized and impoverished at the same time. While exploration, prospecting, development, and exploitation stages of fossil fuel de- velopment (e.g., oil and gas) are painted as safe, the true costs of these are paid for by community peoples and their environment. What is and Why Advocacy? Advocacy involves the propagation of ideas and/or interests by a person or group of people to influence decisions and achieve an end result. It is noteworthy that effective, focused and consistent advocacy creates the change sought after. What is also true is that this is not without resistance! Advocacy affords people the opportunity to bring to the fore and to redefine public debates on important social, economic and well- being issues and ensure that underserved communities have a voice in the policies that impact their lives 1 . This Toolkit helps to understand grassroots power and strengthen the capacity of community peoples with the knowledge to organize and speak up against the ills destroying their environment and for the enthronement of the change they seek. For there to be effective advocacy, there needs to be clarity about what is to be achieved. The