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Protecting environmental activism and the right to a healthy environment has never been more critical, as the world faces increasing environment- and resource-related conflict. 

In Cambodia, where the Prey Lang Forest has lost 9 per cent of its tree cover due to illegal logging in the past five years, conservation field staff are often at the coal face of Cambodia’s environmental battles. This is why UN Human Rights Cambodia, the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Environment and USAID Greening Prey Lang teamed up to deliver an environmental human rights training to 26 conservation staff from Wildlife Conservation Society and USAID Greening Pray Lang. 
 

Greening Prey Lang monitoring evaluation and learning specialist Chanthorn Eung, from Kampong Thom province, said prior to the training she knew basic rights but now better understood the right to participate in resource protection. 
 
“When I look back at the issue in the community it is very helpful. I understand first about our rights and our rights linked to the environment…the training is important for me to transfer my knowledge to the community and colleagues.”
 
The four-day training, from December 14 to 17, had also covered different teaching and training methodologies that she would use to help support communities engaged in protection of resources, who sometimes faced difficulties with rangers, she said.
   
There had been an increase in human rights violations against human rights and environmental rights defenders, UN Human Rights Cambodia Country Representative Pradeep Wagle told the participants during his opening remarks, also sharing the Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ concern about the detention of activists in Prey Lang Wildlife Sanctuary in February 2021 after checking for illegal logging or criminal convictions of indigenous rights activists for criticising authorities’ environmental policies.
 
“A safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment is necessary for the full enjoyment of a vast range of human rights…At the same time, the exercise of human rights, including the right to freedom of expression…are vital to the protection of the environment – as human rights are interrelated and interdependent.”
   
At the global level, it is reported that at least 40 per cent of internal conflicts over the last 60 years have a link to natural resources. This warning was also applicable in Cambodia’s case if no mitigation measures were taken, Wagle said, noting the historic October recognition by the Human Rights Council that a healthy environment is a fundamental human right. 
 
“In the adoption of this resolution, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Ms. Michelle Bachelet called on [UN] member states to take “bold action” - to implement the right to a healthy environment as a basic human right – pushing forward for transformative policies that will protect people and nature.”
 
USAID Greening Prey Lang Chief of Party Matthew Edwardsen encouraged the trainers to be open to learning more.
 
“This is step one of many steps and we don’t know how many steps there are going to be, because we will be continually learning.”
 
The training included workshops on basic human rights principles, such as the right to a healthy environment and freedom of expression, protection of environmental defenders and methodologies to help participants train others in the future.