Southern Africa
ERA's Southern Africa hub — coordinating the environmental rights movement across a sub-region navigating the intersections of mining, land rights, climate vulnerability, and defender protection.
Regional Anchor
Oil Change International
Oil Change International, represented in Eswatini, serves as ERA's designated Regional Anchor for Southern Africa — coordinating the coalition's priorities across the sub-region and linking member organizations to the Secretariat and Working Groups.
Steering Committee Representative
Thuli Makama
ERA Steering Committee
Oil Change International, Eswatini
About the Region
Southern Africa's Environmental Rights Context
Southern Africa is a sub-region of striking contrasts — significant natural wealth, relatively more developed legal frameworks in some countries, yet persistent failures to translate law into justice for communities affected by mining, energy extraction, and land dispossession. From Zimbabwe's mining sector to fossil fuel development in Mozambique and Namibia, communities face familiar patterns: displacement without consent, pollution without accountability, and defenders without protection.
ERA's Southern Africa hub, anchored by Oil Change International in Eswatini, connects regional civil society to the continental campaign — building the political will and legal frameworks needed to hold states and corporations accountable. Natural Justice, based in South Africa, also contributes through the Defenders Emergency, Solidarity & Response Working Group, bringing critical capacity in legal advocacy and rapid-response support for defenders at risk.
Coalition Members
Member Organizations in Southern Africa
Oil Change International
Eswatini · Regional Anchor
Natural Justice
South Africa · Defenders Working Group
American Bar Association
Zimbabwe · Technical Drafting Working Group
More members
Profiles being added
From Southern Africa
Regional Resources & Publications
Regional publications coming soon.
Visit Resource Hub →