Eileen Delia Mairena Cunningham

Eileen Mairena Cunningham is an Indigenous activist, climate justice advocate, and global researcher. A Miskitu woman from Waspam, on Nicaragua’s Caribbean Coast, she has spent over two decades working at the intersection of Indigenous territorial governance, climate finance, and international advocacy.

She played a central role in securing the approval of the Green Climate Fund’s Indigenous Peoples Policy—the first of its kind in international climate finance. From 2020 to 2024, she also served as the active observer of the Civil Society Organizations to the GCF Board, ensuring that Indigenous voices were present in critical decision-making spaces. Her research on Indigenous Peoples informs national action plans and global strategies, ensuring that Indigenous-led solutions shape climate responses.

She has collaborated with organizations and processes such as the UNFCCC, the Tenure Facility, IIED, FILAC, and Pawanka, weaving alliances that bridge local struggles with international climate negotiations.

Today, as the Indigenous Peoples’ Focal Point to the UNFCCC, she continues to amplify Indigenous leadership in global climate governance. Rooted in the strength of Miskitu women, her work expands outward: driving worldwide conversations on Indigenous-led climate adaptation and resilience.