PROTECTION WITHOUT CONDITIONS NEEDED FOR CHILD CLIMATE ACTIVISTS

Two months after the 14-year-old climate activist, Leonela Moncayo, and her family suffered an explosion outside of their home, the authorities have not effectively investigated what happened and are conditioning her protection and that of the other eight girls, and their families, on stopping their activism. We demand Ecuadorian authorities to effectively investigate what happened and protect Leonela, the other eight girls and their families without these conditions.

PLEASE TAKE ACTION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE UNTIL: July 31, 2024

take action:

• Write a letter in your own words or using the sample below as a guide to one or both government officials listed. You can also email, fax, call or Tweet them.
• Click here to let us know the actions you took on Second Urgent Action 18.24. It’s important to report because we share the total number with the officials we are trying to persuade and the people we are trying to help.

contact information:

sample letter:

Ms. General Attorney Diana Salazar, or Dear Ambassador,

I am deeply concerned by the lack of protection for the 14-year-old climate activist, Leonela Moncayo and other young climate activists, as well as their families that are fighting against routine gas flaring in the Ecuadorian Amazon. Leonela is the daughter of two recognized human rights defenders, Donald Moncayo and Silvia Lorena Ordoñez Zambrano, from the strategic litigation organization “Unión de Afectados por Texaco” (UDAPT).

On February 26, Leonela and her mother suffered an explosion from an improvised device in the yard of their house. This happened five days after Leonela and the group of brave climate activists she belongs to were stigmatized by the former Minister of Energy and Mines, Andrea Arrobo, who insinuated they “were manipulated”.

Two months after these incidents, local authorities in the process of investigation, have told Leonela and her family that they can protect the girls only if they stop their activism.

I urge you to investigate effectively, independently, impartially, and without further delay what happened to Leonela and her family, and to provide protection without conditions for Leonela, the eight climate activists, and their families. This group of girls and their families are leaders in the fight against climate change. 

Yours sincerely,

[YOUR NAME]

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