Kenia Oliva has been at the forefront of defending human rights defenders since 2003, working as a lawyer in various organizations, including COFADEH, ACI-Participa, ASOPODEHU, and C-Libre. Her unwavering commitment to justice and the protection of activists was internationally recognized in 2025 when she was shortlisted for the Lawyers for Lawyers Award.
In 2020, she co-founded Bufete Justicia para los Pueblos alongside lawyer Edy Tábora, creating a legal firm dedicated to providing more effective support for land and territory defenders. Since then, she has played a key role in defending emblematic criminalization cases, including those of Guapinol, Reitoca, and Punta Gorda. Her work goes far beyond legal representation—she visits communities affected by conflicts to understand their realities, conducts thorough investigations to identify systemic patterns of repression, and leads advocacy efforts to combat impunity and push for legislative reforms in Honduras.
Defending environmentalists and peasant leaders has placed her in constant danger. Her work in high-conflict territorial disputes has made her a target of harassment, intimidation, surveillance, and even digital attacks, with repeated incidents of theft and hacking aimed at accessing sensitive legal information. Despite these threats, she continues to stand alongside defenders, ensuring they receive the legal support and visibility needed to challenge unjust prosecutions.
As a woman in the legal profession, Kenia has faced additional barriers. She has spoken out about the gender bias that permeates the courtroom, where her arguments are often dismissed more readily than those of male colleagues. She has also denounced the mistreatment of women lawyers by judges, particularly in the trial of the Guapinol defenders. These experiences have only strengthened her resolve to fight against discrimination, not only in the legal system but also within the broader struggle for justice and human rights in Honduras.
