Land Defenders & Water Protectors
The Land Defenders and Water Protectors program protects the Rights of Mother Earth through Indigenous stewardship and traditional knowledge while advancing Indigenous Peoples’ right of Free, Prior and Informed Consent. The focus of this program is to support Native-led actions against incursions, unwanted development, and extractive industries; responding to climate change and climate action; and threats to sacred sites in Indigenous communities, lands and territories. This work is often accomplished by projects on the frontlines.
Seventh Generation Fund has been involved in rebuilding culturally relevant sustainable economies and advocating for the rights of Mother Earth for over 40 years. During our tenure as a philanthropic organization, we have supported thousands of community projects and initiatives that have been on the frontline of community change in Native America. Many of the projects have been first responders to issues and concerns that confront the environmental health of our communities and the well-being of Mother Earth. Projects have successfully leveraged traditional thinking and ecological knowledge to recover healthy nations and stewardship for biodiversity, revitalize traditional economies, and have created strategies sustaining local ecosystems and tribal cultures.
Native Peoples live under constant threats of encroachment and displacement by multi-National corporations, expanding globalization, and the assimilation policies of oppressive governments and are forced to employ a variety of strategies to protect homelands and the health of Mother Earth. Indigenous communities are among the most challenged peoples of the world and experience high impacts from such world issues as climate change, “resource” extraction, deforestation, and access to water. Our communities still live within our homelands and are closely connected to the Earth, and are the first to witness the significant change that is occurring.
Seventh Generation Fund remains dedicated to supporting community-based work – to seed and support the highly impactful strategies that Native Peoples’ dream, implement, and advance as a critical component to rebuild sustainable economies and protect the Rights of Mother Earth.
The knowledge and stewardship of Land Defenders and Water Protectors are more urgent than ever.
