Our people

Guillermo Ricalde (he/they) is a Senior specialist with ILGA World, working on UN Special Procedures and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Born and raised in Mexico, he is a lawyer, researcher, and writer specialising in human rights, gender, SOGI, and migration. He holds a joint Erasmus Mundus master’s degree in Migration and Intercultural Relations (EMMIR) from a consortium of African and European universities led by the University of Oldenburg (UOL) and the University of Stavanger (UiS), as well as a second master’s degree in human rights and the rights of Indigenous peoples, and a bachelor’s degree in law from the Autonomous University of Yucatán (UADY).

Guillermo has built an extensive academic and international advocacy career, with expertise in UN human rights mechanisms, including Treaty Bodies, Special Procedures, and the Sustainable Development framework. He has engaged in advocacy across both New York and Geneva, contributing to reports and documentation that inform UN processes.

Prior to this, he worked with local NGOs and activists in Mexico, advocating for women’s, Indigenous, and migrant rights, and providing human rights training to universities and governmental institutions.

Alongside his international advocacy work, Guillermo has conducted research and co-authored publications in peer-reviewed journals and media outlets on gender equality and LGBTI migration in Europe. His work has been recognised with academic awards, including the Blu Tirohl Award by Taylor & Francis in gender studies.

He is also an experienced lecturer and trainer, skilled at communicating complex issues to diverse audiences, and has participated in conferences across Europe, Africa, Asia, North America, and Latin America.

In addition to his human rights work, he has developed a parallel career as a writer, publishing his first children’s book, La Guardiana de Estrellas, in 2020, and contributing to a literary anthology published by the Literary and Cultural Association of Yucatán in 2022.