Maria Ellul (she/her) currently serves as the Head of the Gender Mainstreaming Unit at the Human Rights Directorate in Malta. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in European Studies (Hons.) and International Relations from the University of Malta, as well as a Master of Arts in Diplomacy and International Relations from Lancaster University. Maria’s professional focus lies in advancing gender mainstreaming policies at both local and international levels. Furthermore, she holds the position of Vice-Chair and Maltese representative at the Gender Equality Commission at the Council of Europe, and is a member of the EU Commission’s High Level Group on Gender Equality and EIGE’s Expert Forum