Joan Carling

Joan Carling, born in 1963 to the Kankanaey tribe in the Philippines' Mountain Province, has dedicated over three decades to defending indigenous peoples' rights and environmental justice. After studying sociology and economics at the University of the Philippines-Baguio, she was inspired to activism by the murder of indigenous land defender Macli-ing Dulag. As Executive Director of Indigenous Peoples Rights International (IPRI), she leads global efforts to protect indigenous rights defenders and promote sustainable development. Her impressive career includes serving as Secretary General of the Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (2008-2016), expert member of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (2014-2016), and co-convenor of the Indigenous Peoples Major Group for Sustainable Development Goals. Her courageous work, despite facing death threats and being labeled a terrorist by Filipino authorities in 2018, has earned her prestigious recognition including the UN Environment Programme's Champions of the Earth Lifetime Achievement Award (2018) and most recently, the Right Livelihood Award (2024), making her the first Indigenous Filipino recipient. Through IPRI, she continues to advocate for indigenous land rights, traditional knowledge in conservation, and climate justice while providing support to frontline defenders facing criminalization and human rights violations.