Marí­a Pilar Ramirez

She has a degree in Social and Juridical Science, and is a lawyer and Notary Public. She has a Master’s degree in Social Security and finished her studies for a Doctorate in Law at the San Carlos University of Guatemala, where she also worked as a teacher for 7 years.  She has specialised in the protection of children and adolescents rights by participating in specialisation courses and by giving lectures on a national and international level. She has worked in several institutions of the child care and protection systems in Guatemala and Latin America as a regional consultant, and as a lawyer in penal cases regarding childhood and adolescence for Fundación Sobrevivientes. She also worked at the Central Adoptions Authority (Autoridad Central de Adopciones) under the supervision of the National Council of Adoptions of Guatemala, where she acted as Coordinator of the Attention to the Child and Orientation to the Biological Family Unit, and also as General Vicedirector. She coordinated the implementation of the Cooperation Agreement between Unicef and the National General Ombudsman of Guatemala within the project of Case Management of the Childhood and Adolescence Ombudsman. She is currently a Legal Advisor and Programme Coordinator for Latin America and the Caribbean at the International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children.