Accra, July 24, GNA – The Southern Africa Resource Watch (SARW), in collaboration with Third World Network-Africa (TWN) and Trust Africa, has developed a toolkit to respond to the Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP).
SLAPP is a lawsuit that is intended to censor, intimate, and silence critics by burdening them with the cost of a legal defence until they abandon their criticism or opposition.
The toolkit includes a range of resources, guidance, and tools designed to support environmental rights defenders, particularly women defenders, in their advocacy efforts.
It includes practical strategies for identifying and responding to SLAPP suits, case studies illustrating successful resistance tactics, legal resources outlining relevant laws, raising awareness, and mobilising effort.
Dr Yao Graham, Coordinator of TWN-Africa, speaking at the training programme on the anti-SLAPP toolkit in Accra, said the toolkit would equip defenders with the knowledge and tools needed to effectively challenge legal repression and advance environmental justice.
Dr Yao Graham said the forum would share ideas from countries experiences to strengthen the space for free expression.
That, he stated, would build the foundation to improve cooperation among countries.
He was optimistic that the training would empower CSOs to build resistance to the SLAPP suit in protecting the environmental and social rights of community members.
Ms Thui Zulu, Advocacy and Reserach Officer, Centre for Applied Legal Services, said the toolkit could be used during community workshops and capacity building.
“It can also be used as a research tool for people interested in expanding educational material in the fight against SLAPP,” she said.
Ms Zulu advised CSOs to seek legal representation when faced with a SLAPP suit as part of their practical remedies.
In addition to legal representation, she said it was important for CSOs to document all communications and interactions related to the SLAPP suit.
“In order to deal with the growing SLAPP suit in Africa, it is important that everyone knows their rights.
“The Constitutions of the different countries provide for legal remedies in instances where individual rights are violated,” she said.
Mr Claude Kabemba, Executive Director, SARW, said SLAPP suits were generally considered an abuse of the legal system and designed to stifle free speech and public participation.
GNA