Friend –

Raging fires in the Amazon earlier this year put the spotlight on parts of Latin America where indigenous communities face violence and extreme pressure for their land and resources.

From heavy-metal poisoning to murder, indigenous groups across the region have faced decades of neglect and repression. Despite the odds, many are defying these injustices and taking their fight to the courts.

Even more remarkable? They are winning.

Back in 2013, security services in Guatemala opened fire on peaceful indigenous protesters at the entrance to a silver mine. The protestors took legal action in Canada, seeking to hold accountable the private company operating the mine.

This past July, their actions were rewarded. The Canadian company reached a settlement with the protesters and issued a formal apology. The case will now pave the way for future legal action on behalf of human rights defenders and others wronged by companies abroad.

Friend, thanks to Oxfam supporters like you, we're working with local partners to help indigenous communities secure their land rights, leading to victories like this one.

Read more about the success in Guatemala.

Wins like these are so important because of their implications on the climate crisis. Agriculture, forestry, and land use contribute 22 percent of global greenhouse emissions. When indigenous communities are able to take back ownership of their land and implement good land management practices, like encouraging biodiversity, they can reduce the effects of climate change.

Supporting the indigenous peoples who steward natural ecosystems pushes back on deforestation and other harmful land management practices implemented by large corporations. These harmful practices make the climate crisis worse, producing increased carbon emissions and less resilient ecosystems. When you support Oxfam's work with indigenous land stewards, friend, you're working to address the climate crisis. We can't do it without your help.

Want to contribute to the kind of work that tackles the root causes of poverty, hunger, and injustice – and changes lives in more than 90 countries? Our work is only possible because of the support of people like you. Make a donation today.