At a glance
Based in Geneva, Switzerland
Nationality Ecuadorian
Languages ES · EN · DE · FR · PT · NL
LinkedIn Profile →Karen Dayana
Chica Gómez
I am a programme and project specialist with over five years of international experience in multilateral governance, gender equality, and community engagement. My career has taken me from the floors of the Inter-Parliamentary Union in Geneva to field missions across 12+ countries spanning four continents — from Indonesia and Rwanda to Sierra Leone, Namibia, and beyond — always in pursuit of more inclusive, effective institutions.
I hold a Master in Development Studies from the Geneva Graduate Institute (Major: Migration; Minor: Gender Studies) and a Bachelor in International Studies from Leiden University, where I received the Golden Stork Award as Most Outstanding Student of my graduating class of 400.
At the Inter-Parliamentary Union, I spent five years working across three roles: as a Project Consultant on the Gender Partnership Programme, training and supporting 500+ parliamentarians across 12+ countries on gender equality and CEDAW implementation; as a Data Analyst for the globally cited Women in Parliament reports; and as a Research Intern building global parliamentary datasets.
Beyond my professional career, I am the Founder and Director of EL ORO MUN — the first and largest Model United Nations in El Oro province, Ecuador, now in its XI edition — and an active spokesperson for the LEGĀTUM Foundation, contributing shadow reports to the UN’s universal human rights mechanisms on violence against women and racial discrimination, including before the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD).
I work fluently in Spanish, English, German, French, and Portuguese, and bring a genuinely multilingual, intersectional perspective to every project I take on.
Academic Background
Geneva Graduate Institute (IHEID)
Master in Development Studies
2019 – 2022 · Geneva, Switzerland
Major in Migration; Minor in Gender Studies. Thesis: “Race, gender, and class in the 2021 Ecuadorian legislative elections: An intersectional analysis of Afro-Ecuadorian women candidates’ discourses and experiences.” Founding member of the anti-racist coalition at IHEID.
Leiden University
Bachelor in International Studies
2016 – 2019 · Leiden, The Netherlands
Specialisation in Latin America. Golden Stork Award — Most Outstanding Student, class of 400 (criteria: academic excellence and significant contribution to programme life). Thesis grade: 8.2/10.
Harvard University · ALARI
Certificate in Afro-Latin American Studies
2021 – 2022
Selected as panelist at Harvard’s Second Conference on Afro-Latin American Studies (December 2022), presenting research on race, gender, and class in Ecuadorian elections.
Universidad Internacional del Ecuador
International Relations and Diplomacy
2012 – 2016 · Ecuador
Six semesters of undergraduate study, with a grade of 95/100. Foundation for international affairs, diplomacy, and legal studies.
Awards & Recognition
Golden Stork Award
Leiden University · 2019
Most Outstanding Student of the graduating class of 400, awarded for academic excellence and exceptional contribution to fellow students and programme life.
Student Leadership Award Nomination
Geneva Graduate Institute · 2021
Nominated for student leadership award in recognition of contributions to the academic community as President of the Latin American Network Initiative.
Sustainable Business Battle Finalist
Leiden-The Hague · 2017
Finalist in the competitive Sustainable Business Battle at Leiden University, demonstrating applied thinking on sustainability and impact.