Blanca Blanco Abellan

Blanca currently works with International IDEA in Panama, leading a capacity-building initiative to support civil society organisations and media in Central America.

Previously, she spent over 20 years with the Irish NGO Trócaire, where her passion for human rights and social justice led her to roles in Central America, including Programme Officer in Honduras and Country Director in Guatemala.

She later became Global Resource Rights and Human Rights Defenders Advisor, and Head of Programmes in Ireland.

Before joining Trócaire, Blanca worked on an Anti-Racism Education Campaign with the National Youth Council of Ireland. Her research has focused on gender-based violence, gender, and migration, with publications in English and Spanish in academic journals and books.

She holds a BA in Sociology from the Autonomous University of Barcelona, and MA degrees in Development Studies (Ireland) and Social Anthropology (Mexico).