Inga Winkler

Dr. Inga Winkler is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Law, Wageningen University & Research, specializing in the intersection of public health, human rights, and gender justice. Previously, she held faculty positions at the Central European University in Vienna and Columbia University in New York, and served as Legal Adviser to the UN Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights to Water and Sanitation. Her research focuses on taboo issues like sanitation and menstruation, emphasizing socio-legal approaches to inequality and stigma. She has contributed to landmark publications such as the first monograph on the human right to water and co-edited volumes on sustainable development goals. Winkler’s work bridges academia and policy, with grants from the European Commission and UN agencies. She co-chairs Columbia’s Menstruation & Society seminar and serves on editorial boards of journals like Women’s Reproductive Health and PLOS Water.

Education: German law degree, doctorate in international human rights law (summa cum laude).

Research Interests: Winkler’s interdisciplinary work explores how human rights frameworks can address systemic inequalities in water access, menstrual health, and gender justice. She critiques policy failures that perpetuate stigma, particularly for marginalized groups, and advocates for inclusive, evidence-based solutions. Her recent ERC Consolidator Grant funds research on menstrual equity through a human rights lens.

Grants & Awards: ERC Consolidator Grant (2024), grants from European Commission and UN agencies.

Advocacy & Policy: Leveraged UN policy experience to influence global water rights frameworks, including advocacy for marginalized communities in the Global North and South. Collaborates with NGOs and policymakers on menstrual health policies.

Labs/Teams: Co-chairs a transdisciplinary seminar on menstruation studies at Columbia University; collaborates with global teams on projects like PERIODS (human rights in menstrual movements) and EUmetriosis (health equity in endometriosis).