Nicola has mainly focused on issues such as the implementation of UNSCR 1325, international law at the domestic and regional level, on gender-sensitive security sector reform and on the prevention and response to sexual and gender-based violence in peacekeeping missions. She holds a Masters (LLM) in International Peace Support Operations, as well as a degree in Political, Social and Communication Science. Nicola has lived and worked in Latin America and the Caribbean, Europe and South and West Africa. She has developed, implemented and evaluated training programmes, action-oriented research, projects, as well as policy development processes for the United Nations, different governments and NGOs.