Ms. Myrna Cunningham is an indigenous Miskita woman from Nicaragua and President of the Center for Autonomy and Development of Indigenous Peoples which is an organization working in areas of intercultural communication, cultural revitalisation, indigenous women’s rights, and climate change and its impact on indigenous communities. With a professional background as doctor of medicine, she has experience in health issues and health policy. Dr. Cunningham collaborates with Nicaragua’s Autonomous Regional Governments in establishing Intercultural Health models. She has also supported the rights of indigenous peoples and served as Secretary-General of the Indigenous Inter-American Institute, as well as Chair of the UN Permanent Forum of Indigenous Issues from 2011 to 2013. She has worked as a consultant for many multilateral, bilateral, governmental and non-governmental organizations on issues ranging from health, education, land, environment and natural resources, racial discrimination, evaluation mechanisms, to international human rights instruments. She is also on the Board of Directors of the Global Fund for Women.
