Responding to the announcement of new funding from the Dutch Postcode Lottery, Gillian Caldwell, Chief Executive of Global Witness, said:
“The world’s forests provide millions of people with a home, food and a livelihood. But they are under dire threat from companies, including many that are operating illegally, who want to tear down these beautiful and important habitats to make huge profits from the sale of timber or the growth of expensive commodities, such as palm oil.
“When communities are forced out of their homes to make way for big companies to benefit from our natural resources – this is corruption. When governments accept bribes to turn a blind eye to the horrific environmental impact of tearing down forests to replace them with a single crop or, even worse, a mine or power station – this is corruption. And when those defending their right to land are sexually assaulted, attacked or even killed for standing up to big vested interests – this is corruption.
“Over the last two decades, Global Witness has worked to expose those companies that destroy our forests through illegal logging or seize land for crop farming, as well as the governments who work alongside them to enable this activity. We champion the rights of local communities to own, protect and safeguard their forests for generations to come and speak out against the corruption that drives human and environmental abuses against them.
“The funding from the Dutch Postcode Lottery will support us to reach new audiences with our campaigns to combat corrupt activity and protect forests – from Peru to Papua New Guinea and the Democratic Republic of Congo. We will continue to put pressure on those who exploit these incredible natural habitats for profit and work to ensure these natural resources benefit the communities that live there and help to mitigate the devastating impacts of climate change. We are grateful to the players of the Dutch Postcode Lottery for their support for this important work.”
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Notes to editor:
Global Witness protects human rights and the environment by fearlessly confronting corruption and challenging the systems that enable it.
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