Emmanuel Peni
Emmanuel Peni (also known as Manu) is a human rights defender from the coastal region of Sepik, in Papua New Guinea. He is the president of Kapul Champions, a national network launched in 2012 that advocates for the rights of men with diverse sexualities (MDS) and transgender people. He is also the coordinator of the environmental group Project Sepik, which protects and advocates for the rights of the people living in the wetland area of the Sepik River, a territory threatened by a mining project that could heavily pollute the water system and damage the surrounding tropical rainforest. Because of his work, Emmanuel has been facing violent threats and harassment, both by government authorities and personnel from the mining company.