15/03/2024
With the support of the COPOLAD program, a pilot project has been carried out to protect native communities, environmental farmers and indigenous community leaders in territories affected by the expansion of illicit coca crops and drug trafficking operations.
The National Commission for Development and Life without Drugs (DEVIDA), the Peruvian entity in charge of drug-related policies, in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights and with the support of the European COPOLAD project, seeks to strengthen existing coordination and monitoring mechanisms. In addition, it is proposed to promote an early warning system to detect possible threats against human rights or environmental leaders. This system will be applied in remote regions with high potential for expansion of coca crops and criminal activity, such as illegal logging and mining, human trafficking, among others.
Victor Martinez, COPOLAD III’s expert in development and human rights has traveled, together with the head of the innovation laboratory Agirre Lehendakaria Center, from Spain, to the region of Ucayali. The objective of this trip was to adapt the defense system through a process of mapping and listening to all those involved, collective interpretation and co-creation. The aim is to achieve prototypes whose implementation will protect the population of this vast Amazonian region of Peru.
During the recent mission to Peru, there was significant collaboration between representatives of DEVIDA and the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights, with the participation of authorities and experts from the Ministry of Culture, the regional Governor’s Office and Prefecture, the provincial prosecutor’s office, the Ombudsman’s Office and various Indigenous Peoples’ Organizations. In addition to institutions involved in the surveillance and protection of protected natural areas, such as SERNANP, as well as the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, indigenous leaders, human rights defenders and members of the Flor de Ucayali Native Community.
The participants of this pilot experience are beneficiaries of several alternative development projects. These projects aim to train small-scale farming families in sustainable farming techniques adapted to local conditions, such as fish farming or cocoa cultivation. They also receive government support for marketing their products.
The COPOLAD III team joined DEVIDA, MINJUS and its Zonal Offices in the first inter-sectoral Regional Roundtable of Ucayali for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders. In addition, exchanges have taken place with representatives and technicians from the Delegation of the European Union in Peru, the EU-FIIAPP bilateral programs office in the Ministry of the Interior, the Police and the Ministry of the Interior.
