Pronouns: She/her
Iliana Balabanova is President of the European Women’s Lobby, the largest European umbrella network of women’s associations. She also co-founded and serves as President of the Bulgarian Platform of the EWL. From 16 June 2022 to 30 November 2024, she was a member of the Experts’ Forum of the European Institute for Gender Equality, representing CSOs at EU level.
Iliana has more than 30 years of work with strong expertise in gender equality with specific focus on gender-based violence, incl. domestic violence, gender stereotypes, gender mainstreaming, economic violence of women and women’s economic empowerment, women in decision-making process, women in media, women and climate change, the impact of nationalism/populism on Women’s Human Rights. Over the years she has been engaged in a variety of activities and in different positions from research to project manager, national and international trainer, and coordinator in the area of Women’s Human Rights and Gender Equality. Balabanova has played a crucial role in promoting legislation for the prevention and protection against domestic violence in Bulgaria. Her influence spans from national to international stages, advocating for women's rights and gender equality.