Elena Cornaro

Elena Cornaro is a Policy Advisor, Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) with IISD’s Economic Law and Policy Program. Her focus is on ensuring that sustainable economic governance frameworks are equitable and address the needs of marginalized groups, particularly women, Indigenous Peoples, people with disabilities, informal workers, and communities.

At IISD, Elena has contributed to research and dialogue on equitable sustainable governance of the mineral, agricultural, and energy sectors in Rwanda, Madagascar, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Canada. Regionally, she has delivered strategy-building workshops for women’s rights leaders across southern and western Africa. She also contributes to integrating GESI into the work of the Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development and the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development secretariats.

Elena has over 7 years of experience in GESI, peacebuilding, and socio-economic rights, including with the United Nations, the Council of Europe, and civil society organizations covering the United Kingdom, Eastern Europe, Libya, and Afghanistan.

She holds a master’s degree in human rights law with distinction from SOAS, University of London, as well as a bachelor’s degree in human, social, and political sciences from the University of Cambridge.

Originally from the Austrian Alps and now based in London, Elena is fluent in English, German, and French and has basic knowledge of Arabic and Italian.