BARBARA PIAZZA-GEORGI (Budapest, 1952) retired from the United Nations development system in June 2015, after thirty years spent mostly in Africa and the Middle East. Her latest assignment was as UNFPA country representative in Palestine and Syria, focusing on public health, gender and youth issues in complex humanitarian settings. She holds degrees in political science, international relations and development economics from the universities of Reading (UK) and Witwatersrand University (South Africa). She has published research on issues related to peace building, social capital and entrepreneurship. She is currently based in Budapest (Hungary), working for the Hungarian Charity Service of the Order of Malta and the Jesuit Refugee Service.