Karen Chica Gómez is an Afro-Ecuadorian activist advocating for the political, environmental and social rights of minorities, especially of afro-descendant and indigenous women in Latin America. She has professional experience addressing these issues in various positions at international organizations.

She is the founder and director of ‘MUNJUD’, a project that provides high school and university students from Ecuador free extracurricular training in critical thinking, debating and research skills in issues related to gender equality, peace, human rights, among others. She holds a BA in International Studies with a specialization in Latin American Studies from Leiden University in the Netherlands and is a Master’s candidate in Development Studies at the Graduate Institute, Geneva.