Erika Kvapilová spent over 15 years in social policy and welfare research, followed by the UN career between 2005-2022 where she worked for UN Women (formerly UNIFEM) in different positions, including as the Regional Program Director for South-eastern Europe, and the UN Women’s Country Representative in Georgia and Ukraine.  Currently, she works as a gender expert and a Lead Associate for Gender Associations International Consulting (GAIC) Berlin. Erika holds a Ph.D. in philosophy from Comenius University in Bratislava. She is based in Bratislava, Slovakia. In 2021 she was awarded by Golden Plaquette of the Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic for her contribution to international cooperation.