Belgium | New Ombudswoman of the City of Gent appointed

Mrs. Helena Nachtergaele was appointed as the second Ombudswoman of the City of Gent upon the retirement of Mrs. Rita Passemiers.

Mrs. Nachtergaele is a 48 year old Belgian national who has a Masters degree in Modern History. She previously worked during nine years as investigator for the Federal Ombudsman in Brussels, which gave her extensive experience in legal analysis and investigation of complaints in the context of the Belgian federal administration, often in close collaboration with other Ombudsman.

During her career, she focused on the rights of refugees, asylum seekers and displaced people; both in European context as in the field in different African countries. She has worked for the Belgian Red Cross; for the Commissioner for Refugees and Stateless Persons in Brussels; as well as for UNHCR in several African countries and the Middle East, often in sensitive and politically tense environments. Next to this, she was also Short Term Election Observer for the European Commission in Tunisia (2010) and Malawi (2014).

She lives in the city center of Gent together with her husband.

Source: Ombudswoman of the City of Gent