Francine Nogueira

Brazilian Indigenous leader protecting Amazon rainforest through legal advocacy

Francine Nogueira is a Kayapó Indigenous leader and environmental lawyer fighting to protect the Amazon rainforest and Indigenous rights. Born in the Xingu Indigenous Park in 1985, she witnessed firsthand the impacts of illegal logging and mining on her people. After studying law at the University of Brasília, she became legal advisor to the Indigenous organization APIB (Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil).

Nogueira's work combines legal strategy with grassroots organizing. She led landmark 2019 lawsuits that halted construction of the São Luiz do Tapajós dam complex, which threatened 4,000km² of Amazon forest. Her legal team secured Brazil's first-ever Indigenous land demarcation victory since 2012 through the 2021 Pará State Supreme Court ruling for the Arariboia Indigenous Land.

She co-founded the Indigenous Territorial Guard Network, training 300+ Indigenous monitors to combat deforestation. Nogueira also testified before the UN Human Rights Council in 2022, linking Amazon destruction to corporate crimes. Her advocacy influenced Brazil's 2023 Forest Code reforms, expanding protections for Indigenous territories. By merging traditional ecological knowledge with modern legal frameworks, she has become a global voice in climate justice movements, featured in National Geographic's 2022 'Voices for the Earth' series.