Joenia Wapichana

First Indigenous Woman Elected to Brazilian Congress, championing Amazonian rights and environmental justice

Joenia Wapichana (born March 12, 1979) made history as the first Indigenous woman elected to Brazil's National Congress in 2018. A member of the Wapichana people from Roraima state, she has been a relentless advocate for Indigenous land rights and environmental protection. Her legislative work focuses on halting illegal deforestation in the Amazon, protecting Indigenous territories from mining encroachment, and ensuring constitutional rights for Indigenous communities.

Wapichana holds a law degree from the Federal University of Roraima and has worked extensively with Indigenous organizations like the Articulação dos Povos Indígenas do Brasil (APIB). She played a key role in opposing Bill 191/2020, which sought to weaken Indigenous land protections, and has consistently spoken out against the Bolsonaro administration's policies that accelerated Amazon deforestation.

Her 2021 report Violations of Indigenous Rights in the Amazon brought international attention to systemic abuses. Wapichana also co-founded the Indigenous Missionary Council, which provides legal support to threatened communities. In 2023, she launched the Amazonian Indigenous Leaders Network, connecting over 50 Indigenous groups across nine countries to share strategies for environmental preservation.

Her groundbreaking work has inspired global movements, including the 2024 UN Climate Summit's Indigenous Rights Track. Wapichana's TED Talk "The Amazon Belongs to Us All" has been viewed over 2 million times, cementing her as a global voice for environmental justice.