For years, communities in Kenya, Uganda, Bangladesh, Guatemala, and Zimbabwe have shown remarkable strength in claiming their rights to food, land, natural resources, and energy. Their courage and persistence have led to meaningful changes in global food and energy systems, proving that real progress is possible. Yet, these hard-won gains face growing threats. Governments worldwide are cutting aid budgets, rolling back protective laws, and corporations are expanding influence, often at the expense of local communities and the environment. Land grabs, forced displacement, and environmental damage remain urgent challenges. This evening we will spotlight the victories of women from communities around the world as well as the threats they face. How do we protect what’s been won? How do we push forward, not back? What must governments in the Global North and South do—not just to stop human rights violations, but also to repair historical damage, set up better policy and legal frameworks to protect people and the environment, and ensure the transitions to fair food and energy systems?
Over de Sprekers
Ama Dantzig
Ghanaian-Dutch social innovator and co-founder of Dr. Monk, a creative agency based in Accra and Amsterdam. She has facilitated high-level discussions for organizations such as the UNDP forest dialogues in Ivory Coast and Liberia, the Obama Foundation’s Leaders: Africa program, and the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Presidential Center’s Amujae program. Ama is experienced in bringing together diverse groups—including policymakers, artists, and activists—to foster collaboration and practical solutions.
Janne Nijman
Professor of History and Theory of International Law at the Faculty of Law of the University of Amsterdam and a senior researcher at the Amsterdam Center for International Law. In addition, she holds the Chair of International Law at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies (IHEID) in Geneva. From 2015 until July 2022, she served as Chair of the Board and Academic Director of the T.M.C. Asser Institute in The Hague. Janne is also the Chair of the Human Rights Committee of the Advisory Council on International Affairs (AIV), which advises the Dutch government and parliament on foreign policy.
Fadzai Midzi
Projects officer for the Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association (ZELA). She works with communities and women’s groups affected by mining to hold government and mining corporations accountable for corporate harm. She will speak about the current national ban on the export of raw minerals, such as black granite, and prioritization of value addition at the national level.
Member of the GroenLinks-PvdA parliamentary group in the House of Representatives since December 6, 2023. Since 2003, she worked at the environmental and human rights organization Both ENDS in the field of water management, and from 2008 onwards, she served as the director of the organisation. She is a spokesperson for international trade and development cooperation.
