Maria Krisch is a Programme Coordinator at the United Nations Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF) where she leads the WPHF portfolio on Asia, Europe and Latin America, the WPHF Funding Initiative on Forced Displacement, and the WPHF Funding Initiative on Women and Climate Security. Prior to joining the Fund, Maria was leading on the design, management and monitoring of international development programs and funds with a focus on gender, leave no one behind, inequality, displacement, and violence reduction for the German Development Cooperation (GIZ) and the British Government (FCDO/formerly DFID). She also managed projects and conducted research on the public health approach to violence prevention at the University of Cambridge (Violence Research Center) in partnership with the World Health Organization. She holds a graduate degree in International Development from the University of Cambridge and has published academic articles on violence prevention, strategies to reduce violence and sex trade among youth.