Maria Noel Vaeza

Maria Noel Vaeza serves as the Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean at UN Women since July 2019, overseeing regulatory, coordination, and operational responsibilities for 22 offices and 280 projects, supported by 600 gender specialists. Prior to this role, Vaeza held various leadership positions within UN Women, including Regional Director and Director of the Program Division, managing extensive programs across six regional offices globally. Vaeza's earlier experience includes roles at UNOPS and UNDP, where Vaeza contributed to the establishment of strategic partnerships and program implementation in Latin America. Vaeza holds a Master of International Public Policy from Johns Hopkins University and a doctorate in law and social science from Universidad de la República.