Elena Gentili is an Italian national with over twenty years experience in the promotion of gender equality, inclusion and human rights in developed, developing and humanitarian contexts. She particularly worked on protection from gender-based violence as well as refugee protection, while supporting institutional change, policy reforms, community engagment and people-centred services. Between 2016 and 2018, Elena has coordinated the OECD global portfolio on gender equality and inclusion, focusing on data collection and analysis, policy dialogue and policy implementation support in the areas of gender mainstreaming, gender-sensitive administrations, women’s political participation and access to decision making.

Before joining the OECD, Elena has been engaged in a long-lasting collaboration with the United Nations, managing complex programmes in the area of women’s protection and access to justice while in the role of UN Women’s protection advisor based in Palestine, and UNFPA’s GBV regional coordinator during and for the 2015-16 refugee crisis in the Balkans region. Earlier in her career Elena has been a member of and collaborated with numerous civil society organizations promoting women’s and immigrants’ rights.

Her most recent work includes innovative undertakings for UNFPA’s humanitarian branch. Among those a policy paper on staff care and well-being, including a Bangladesh case study, global policy recommendations and a road map for managing change; the roll-out of new GBV case-management training modules and a paper shaping a new programmatic approach for the protection of female and male victims of sexual violence in conflict.
Since December 2019, Elena collaborates with OPCW on tasks related to staff welfare, prevention of harassment, gender equality, diversity and inclusion. She is currently conducting a Gender and Diversity Audit of the organisation.

She holds an MA in Humanities from the University of Rome La Sapienza.