Kichwa Leader Patricia Gualinga Appointed to UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (2026–2028)

June 25, 2025 | Tucson, Arizona — Renowned Indigenous rights defender and environmental advocate Patricia Gualinga Montalvo of the Sarayaku People in the Ecuadorian Amazon has been appointed to the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) for the 2026–2028 term. Her appointment was announced by the President of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) on June 16, 2025, following formal consultations with Indigenous Peoples’ organizations globally.

A leading voice in the international Indigenous movement, Gualinga is celebrated for her tireless work defending Indigenous territories, advancing Indigenous women's leadership, and advocating for climate justice. As a prominent figure in the Sarayaku community, she played a pivotal role in the historic Inter-American Court of Human Rights ruling that upheld Indigenous peoples' right to Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) in resource extraction projects on ancestral lands.

Patricia joins a group of eight Indigenous-nominated experts serving in their personal capacity on the Forum, a key advisory body to ECOSOC on matters related to the rights and well-being of Indigenous Peoples around the world. Her appointment reflects years of grassroots organizing, international advocacy, and visionary leadership rooted in the Kawsak Sacha (Living Forest) worldview.

She is currently affiliated with the University of Arizona’s Indigenous Peoples Law and Policy (IPLP) Program, where she contributes to the Indigenous Rights & Protected Areas Initiative. Through this role, she helps elevate Indigenous legal frameworks and community-led conservation strategies on a global scale.

Her term on the Forum begins on January 1, 2026, and will run through December 31, 2028, alongside other newly appointed members from Canada, Tanzania, Morocco, New Zealand, the Russian Federation, and the Philippines.