April 9, 2026 – In Bunia and Isiro, starting April 9, 2026, a series of workshops brought together environmental and land rights defenders in an atmosphere that was both studious and tense. Journalists, community leaders, and civil society activists all shared the same concern—visible in every glance and every gesture.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, defending forests, minerals, or community lands is not merely a civic commitment; it is a daily gamble in the face of threats ranging from intimidation and arbitrary arrests to direct violence. In this context, training initiatives such as those organized by the ACEDH–FDAPID consortium take on strategic importance: they provide field actors with tools to better understand, document, and safeguard their work.
According to Maître Olivier Ndoole, a public interest lawyer at ACEDH, “these workshops address major issues: access to public-interest information, citizen participation, and the protection of environmental defenders. It is crucial that participants understand how new technologies can secure their work and encourage citizen engagement despite challenges related to connectivity and security.” The DRC, a country at the heart of global debates on climate and the energy transition, assigns a central role to its defenders: protecting forests, ensuring land rights for local populations, and monitoring mining activities. Yet this vital mission remains fragile, suspended in a precarious balance between individual courage, collective commitment, and structural shortcomings.
The country holds strategic natural resources that attract intense interest. Congolese cobalt—essential to the global energy transition—alone accounts for nearly 70% of global production, according to the International Energy Agency. However, this wealth also attracts violence. Eastern provinces—North Kivu, South Kivu, Ituri, Maniema, and Haut-Uele—are regularly the scene of conflicts linked to mining and land exploitation. Environmental defenders are on the front line, often isolated. Global Witness ranks the DRC among the most dangerous countries for these actors. Arbitrary arrests, intimidation, and targeted violence: every day, their work unfolds on the edge of danger.
During these workshops, marked by a strong presence of rural women active in fishing and local rights advocacy, participants learn how to use information and communication technologies (ICTs) to document violations and quickly alert the international community. Participatory mapping tools, already tested in some rural areas, have helped identify illegal exploitation before it spreads, offering a concrete glimpse of what technology can achieve. Yet ICTs also have limitations. Poor mastery can expose defenders to greater risks, and unequal access to digital networks reproduces existing divides between urban and rural areas. It remains to be seen how many of these tools will lead to tangible change on the ground.
The workshops go beyond digital tools. Participants are also introduced to national and regional legal protection mechanisms. The DRC is a signatory to international instruments protecting human rights defenders, but impunity persists in practice. Amnesty International notes that many violations go unpunished. Training alone, Maître Ndoole warns, is not enough: “The goal is to create an environment conducive to defenders’ work, but that requires commitment from both the State and society.” He also emphasizes that these workshops should mobilize actors at the African level, particularly within the framework of the Environmental Rights in Africa (ERA) process, to promote access to justice and citizen participation.
At the heart of these discussions lies the human dimension of defenders’ work. They are not only activists; they are mediators, whistleblowers, and protectors of land and environmental rights. In Ituri, some land conflicts have worsened in the absence of voices capable of exposing abuses and supporting communities. Yet their role, as essential as it is, also raises questions: are these representatives always aligned with the needs and priorities of local communities? Legitimacy and representativeness remain ongoing challenges.
These workshops reflect a clear intention to strengthen capacities and create a safer environment for those defending the planet and fundamental rights. Participants leave equipped with digital tools, legal strategies, and preventive practices. However, experience shows that training alone is not enough: the safety and effectiveness of defenders will always depend on political will, effective law enforcement, and cohesion among local and national actors.
Ultimately, the issue goes beyond training. It strikes at the very core of the rule of law, citizenship, and environmental justice. The DRC stands at the center of global climate concerns, and its defenders play an irreplaceable role in preserving forests, protecting land, and ensuring community rights. The workshops in Bunia and Isiro mark a crucial step, but the real challenge remains: ensuring their safety, autonomy, and tangible impact on the ground. As some participants put it, training defenders is progress; protecting them sustainably remains the central challenge.
By Kilalopress