Having experience as a seasoned lawmaker, lawyer and human rights defender before her political career, Ms. Kuneva has ingrained human rights as an inherent part of all her endeavours. Ms. Kuneva had an essential role in Bulgaria’s return to democracy, including by facilitating the country’s accession to both the Council of Europe in 1992 and the European Union in 2007.
As Head of the EU Delegation to the Council of Europe (2018-2022), she worked relentlessly to develop a unified European approach and ensured effective coordination between the two organizations. Regardless of the Covid-19 pandemic, Ms. Kuneva dedicated her efforts to addressing critical matters in the legal cooperation between the two organizations, such as the EU's accession to the European Convention on Human Rights and the EU’s involvement in GRECO. Ms. Kuneva actively supported the intensification of the political dialogue between the EU and the Council of Europe at the highest level, especially in the beginning of the war of aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine.
Ms. Kuneva's contribution to the protection and promotion of human rights nationally and internationally has been exemplary, emphasizing her leadership and advocacy in fostering greater awareness of human rights issues as well as inclusive policies and cooperation among diverse stakeholders. Her commitment to upholding human dignity and equality has been an inspiration for women and girls in Bulgaria and the region.
The project “75 women in 75 years of Council of Europe history” is organised by the Delegation of the European Union to the Council of Europe with the Council of Europe and the Permanent Representations of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.
