Human rights defender's story: Flor Calfunao Paillalef from Chile

Flor Calfunao Paillalef has served as the Ambassador of the Mapuche Permanent Mission to the UN since 2011, working diligently from her base in Geneva. Originating from the Juan Paillalef community in the southern regions of Latin America near Patagonia, Flor’s role involves coordinating the Mapuche Human Rights Commission and litigating on behalf of the rights of Indigenous peoples, specifically the Mapuche. Her decision to remain in Geneva since 1996 was strategic, enabling her to engage effectively with the United Nations and numerous human rights organisations located there.

Flor describes her path to becoming a human rights defender as innate, rooted deeply in her family and cultural heritage, where defending the rights of the community and the environment is a way of life. This intrinsic duty has become more crucial as the rights of Indigenous people, like the Mapuche, are increasingly criminalised and their territories continuously threatened.

Since seeking political asylum in Switzerland in 2008 due to severe threats and the imprisonment of her family members in Chile, Flor has faced numerous challenges, including what she describes as psychological torture stemming from the arduous asylum procedures in Switzerland. Her family’s struggles continue, with repeated arrests and ongoing harassment, adding to the burden Flor carries as she fights for their rights and dignity on an international stage.

Flor’s expectations from the international community, especially the United Nations, are clear. She calls for the UN to provide meaningful access and space for Indigenous peoples, respecting their rights to autonomy, self-determination, and self-governance as stipulated in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Flor’s story is not just one of personal resilience but also a compelling call to action for the international community to recognise and support the sovereignty and rights of Indigenous populations globally.