Diana María Morales

Colombian environmental lawyer defending Afro-Colombian communities against mining exploitation

Diana María Morales (b. 1978) is a groundbreaking human rights attorney whose legal battles have protected Afro-Colombian territories from mining interests. As director of the Center for Human Rights and the Environment, she secured a historic 2021 Supreme Court ruling halting gold mining in the Chocó region, home to 80% of Colombia's Afro-descendant population. Her advocacy led to the 2022 Law 2190, which requires prior consultation with Indigenous and Afro communities for mining projects. Despite receiving multiple death threats from paramilitary groups, Morales continues her work, recently securing $5M in EU funding for community-led conservation projects. She was featured in The Guardian's 'Voices of the Amazon' series and received the 2023 Goldman Environmental Prize - the first Colombian woman to win this honor twice. Her TED Talk "Land rights are climate rights" has become a reference in environmental law circles. Morales also teaches international environmental law at Universidad de los Andes, training a new generation of activists.