HLS Advocates' Global Advocacy Award presented to Judge Belkis Florentina Izquierdo Torres - Harvard Law School

By Eli Cooper J.D. ’27

On April 8th, 2026, the fourth annual Global Advocacy Award (“GAA”) was awarded to Judge Belkis Florentina Izquierdo Torres. Also known by her Indigenous name, Aty Seikuinduwa, she aptly serves as a “light in the darkness,” promoting international human rights through her advocacy efforts in Colombia. The Global Advocacy Award is presented to a human rights advocate who exemplifies the qualities of leadership, dedication, and creativity in their advocacy work during the previous year.

Upon reception of the award, Judge Izquierdo Torres said, “I accept this award with the conviction that ethnic peoples, peasant communities, citizens of the world, and global society require that international human rights law, international humanitarian law, international criminal law, and the domestic law of the different states of the world be more inclusive, that they value, respect, and engage in dialogue with the knowledge and justice systems of Indigenous people and local communities with the purpose of protecting human rights form a perspective of relational ontologies, where territories, nature, and ecosystems have value and are not subordinated to human benefit.”

Judge Izquierdo Torres is a leader of the Arhuaco people, an Indigenous tribe from Gonawindua, in the north of Colombia. In 2014, she was the first Indigenous woman to become an auxiliary judge of the Superior Council of Judicature. As an Indigenous jurist and now a magistrate of the Special Jurisdiction for Peace, her career represents a historic step toward the inclusion of ethnic peoples in the highest levels of judicial decision-making.

She is also currently serving as President of the Special Jurisdiction for Peace’s Truth Recognition Chamber, where she has promoted an intercultural and plural understanding of law, challenging homogeneous conceptions of justice and advancing the recognition of Indigenous worldviews, legal systems, and territorial relationships. Her leadership in the Ethnic and Racial Commission of the Special Jurisdiction for Peace has been essential in mainstreaming the ethnic and differential approach throughout the processes of investigation, charging, and adjudication of serious human rights violations committed during the armed conflict.

Judge Izquierdo Torres’ work has had both national and international impact, consolidating her as a key reference in the construction of more inclusive systems of justice that respect cultural diversity and align with the principles of truth, justice, reparation, and peace. Her work has also been recognized by Northwestern Pritzker School of Law, when she was awarded the 2025 Global Jurist of the Year Award.

Judge Izquierdo Torres was nominated alongside Rita Milena Pereira Correia, an indigenous leader from Brazil fighting against corporations for the protection of her indigenous territory, and Riyad Avlar, a former prisoner in Syria originally from Turkey, dedicating his life to advocating for political prisoners. These three nominees were recognized at the Global Advocacy Award Gala, where attendees heard the nominees’ advocacy stories in their own words, the lessons learned from years of advocacy experience, and the nominees’ recommendations for future human rights advocates. All three nominees serve as an inspiration for Harvard Law School Advocates for Human Rights, the Harvard Human Rights Journal, and the broader international human rights community.

The Gala also served to recognize the incredible international human rights work happening at Harvard Law School. As Caroline Arnold J.D. ’26, Co-President of HLS Advocates for Human Rights, an attendee of the Gala said:

“There will always be more work to do, yet in the face of overwhelming abuse and injustice, activists continue to push for changes in law, policy, and practice. In recognition of the need to celebrate each and every human rights victory, we want to thank our students for their excellent work this year, our nominees for their courageous and inspiring human rights practice, and all of you for being with us tonight.”