As threats against environmental defenders intensify, Ugandan activist Bob Barigye shares how collective protection, solidarity, and practical security support are helping sustain long-term resistance to the East African Crude Oil Pipeline.
The question is never whether change is possible. It is whether the people driving it can endure long enough to see it through. Open Briefing's 2026–29 strategy reflects 15 years of learning alongside defenders, movements, nonprofits, foundations, and civil society organisations around the world. It sets out our evolving approach to regenerative protection - one that not only responds to threats, but helps renew the people, relationships, and systems that make collective action possible over time.
In this edition of The Briefing, we share key findings from our independent external impact evaluation and reflect on what comes next for Open Briefing and the wider protection ecosystem. You’ll also find stories from our recent work supporting quilombola communities in Brazil, defenders in Nairobi, and environmental leaders recognised by the Goldman Environmental Prize.
An independent evaluation of Open Briefing’s 2023–26 strategy found that our support often makes the difference between stopping and staying in the fight. By restoring agency, strengthening resilience, and enabling continuity under threat, our work is helping defenders, movements, and organisations continue under pressure - while shaping the future of protection across the wider ecosystem.