Climate Activist Defenders offers personalised individual support for at-risk climate justice activists through emergency response, evacuation, temporary resettlement ,financial support and connections to a network of support. Since 2021, Climate Activist Defenders has supported climate activists from more than 10 countries and 4 different continents.

Afghanistan

Since 2021, we have successfully supported and evacuated hundreds of at-risk climate justice activists from Afghanistan. Unlike other organizations responding to the crisis in Afghanistan, we’re committed to ensuring we’re able to provide a continuity of support to activists who have been evacuated, both within their country of refuge as well as transition after resettlement.

Ukraine

The particularities of Ukraine situation compared to our previous experience with Afghanistan, shaped our support based on the needs of Ukrainians. Since the range of support was already big and diverse, we worked as a resource hub for all those fleeing Ukrainian war and support by connecting the ones looking for help with the right information as helping to find transportation out of Ukraine, shelter within Ukraine, finding organizations and volunteers in the neighboring countries for accommodation, legal support, transportation and psychological support.

In recognising a need for specific support for marginalised groups and minorities, we also established specific advise for foreigners, BIPOC, members of LGBTQ+ community and disabled people. In this context, CAD also started a small Crowdfunding to cover Evacuation costs of those groups 

During the first week of March, we also supported Fridays for Future Ukraine and International to organise the global strike #NoMoreWars (#StandWithUkraine) with organizational tasks as outreach to local groups, social media posts, narrative and translations. Further, we also helped organise the digital strike with Fridays for Future Digital. Check some strike photos here.

Besides, since the start of the war in Ukraine, it has become more dangerous to speak up in Russia. Climate activists from Russia had to flee the country due to fear of political persecution, specially those who openly opposed the invasion in Ukraine.