Olena Semenova
Representative of the Trans Steering Committee for Europe and Central Asia

Olena Semenova is a Ukrainian born LGBTQI human rights activist and a Doctor of Medicine. (S)he has over 20 years of experience in the fields of human rights activism, STI prevention and health services for LGBTQ, and advocacy for LGBTQI freedoms.

Olena is a founding member of several LGBTQ nonprofits, festivals, events, and initiatives in different regions of Ukraine. Since 2015 Olena has been a Co-Chair, of the oldest Ukrainian LGBT organization, the LGBT Association “LIGA” that has, for the past 23 years, been working for equal rights for LGBT people in Ukraine. 

Promoting human rights for LGBTQI people in Ukraine and globally, Olena became a part of the international initiative MunichKyivQueer Contact Group and a founding member of KyivPride Canada. Today (s)he is a board member of TGEU, and also represents the international community sitting on the Advisory Board of the Canadian nonprofit Dignity Network, and at the Equal Rights Coalition civil society network. 

organisation: LGBT association LIGA (Ukraine)