Our Work and Mission

 Movement Rights is a women- and Indigenous-led organization, focused on advancing frontline-led climate justice, Indigenous Rights, and the Rights of Nature. Movement Rights is founded on the idea that we must align human law (and culture) with the laws of the natural world—the future of humanity depends on it. Since our inception in December 2014, we have established our work as a vital and respected piece of the climate justice mosaic. We know no single part of our movements for justice can win on its own—we believe in the power of frontline leadership and true solidarity, sharing and integrating strategies, tactics, resources and learning from each other. We are strategically small, because it allows us to support the communities we work with in ways that ensure the leadership and our resources stay with and empower them. 

Our Depth of Work

Movement Rights is in the streets, in the news and in the courts, providing research and reports, convening strategic gatherings, speaking at the UN, community meetings, regulatory hearings, and more. We work with a broad spectrum of state, national and global climate allies, communities and sovereign indigenous nations. We have helped thousands of people connect the dots between the critical time we find ourselves in and the solutions that Indigenous people have always known: human activity must take place within the natural system of laws that govern life on Earth. The breadth and depth of our work since our inception in December 2014 includes the following highlights:

Worked on the first countywide law banning fracking by recognizing the rights of nature in California;

Created and organized a new model of climate and rights of nature convening. With over 40 partners and 250 participants The Frontline Oil and Gas (FOG) Conference.

Media and social media strength—we have over 100 interviews in print, radio and TV and OpEds including local, statewide, national and international coverage.
Assisted the Ponca Nation of Oklahoma in making history as the first tribe in the US to recognize the rights of nature in law to protect their territory from fossil fuel activities.

Provided systemic critiques and inspiring models of solutions through fact-finding delegations, community trainings, and in-depth reports.

We hold leadership roles in organizing state-wide anti-fossil fuel and climate change mobilizations, street actions and civil disobedience with coalition partners.

Co-founded and serve on the executive committee for the Global Alliance for the Rights of Nature including co-organizing five international tribunals. 

Participated in a high-level international delegation to Bolivia, to assist the Indigenous Amazonian tribes of TIPNIS halt construction of a deadly road through their territory

Our Focus 

Indigenous Rights

Indigenous Rights have never been more important for all humanity. Our survival means placing human activities within the boundaries of the Earth’s ability to absorb our impacts and protect the system of life for future generations. Over 80% of the world’s biodiversity is protected by Indigenous peoples whose ancestral relationship and responsibilities to Earth’s system of life remains intact. Despite centuries of colonization, stolen territories, forced assimilation and genocide, Indigenous Peoples retain their Right to their distinctive cultural heritage, ancestral knowledges, languages, land and traditional practices. Indigenous Rights are at the center of our work confronting colonial systems of oppression through our campaigns, conferences, social media, webinars, reports and more.

Learn more:

  • UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) entitles Indigenous people to determine the outcome of decision-making that affects them. 
  • The Land Back Movement is decolonizing land by putting it back in the hands of ancestral protectors. 
  • Rescind the Doctrine of Discovery
  • An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States by Roxanne Dunbar Ortiz

Rights of Nature

Much like stolen people and women were once considered property, current law almost everywhere “sees” nature as human or corporate-owned property, legalizing environmental destruction and climate crisis. Rights of Nature is at once a culture shift based on traditional Indigenous knowledge, and a legal framework that recognizes ecosystems as holistic rights-bearing entities with legal standing in court. Now law in 23 countries, it has stopped fossil fuel projects, mining, dams, and more. Indigenous-led Rights of Nature is a critical part of legal and culture shift,  and connects with other powerful movements including Land Back, Just Transition, and confronting fossil fuels to name a few. We work with tribal communities through: Intertribal Rights of Nature (IRON) Forums, organizing and legal assistance, webinars, reports, fact finding delegations, media, conferences, and more.   

Learn more: 

Climate Justice

How we treat the Earth is how we treat each other. We cannot truly address climate crisis if we separate the struggles for social, economic, cultural, racial and environmental justice. Indigenous, Black, People of Color, and low-income communities are the most impacted and are also the first to put their bodies on the line to protect the Earth, water, and future generations. We are accountable to them and their leadership as we confront systems of oppression. Our work includes solidarity events and direct action, convening frontline gatherings, confronting false solutions such as carbon trading, media analysis, participating at UN Climate (COP) events,  and more. 

Learn more: 

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