Beatriz Miranda Galarza

Special Rapporteur (observer), United Nations

Beatriz Miranda was appointed UN Special Rapporteur on the elimination of discrimination against persons affected by leprosy and their family members, with effect from November 2023. She has studied sociology and anthropology and completed her doctorate in disability studies. For many years she has been involved in issues related to the rights of marginalized populations regarding health and education. She has worked with international organizations in the field of disability and in exploring the impact of stigma on people affected by leprosy. She has accompanied participatory action research training processes for people with disabilities and affected by leprosy in Nepal, India and Myanmar, and subsequently coordinated a project that sought to put into dialogue the experiences of organizations of people affected by leprosy and disability in Brazil and Indonesia. Since 2018 she has lived in Mexico where she is currently Critical Disability Studies Programme Coordinator at the Institute of Critical Studies in Mexico City. She is also co-founder of the Latin American and Caribbean Network for the recovery of the history of leprosy.