Expertise: Research in Politics and Gender Issues, Development and Humanitarian programs, Women’s Rights.  

Languages: Arabic and English 

Bio: Balqees Abu Asba (@babuosba) is a political science lecturer at Sana'a University, in the Political Science and Gender Studies Department. She has many books and published studies, in both languages Arabic and English, about the elite politics in Yemen, the democracy changes, women participation in politics, combating corruption, human rights, and peacebuilding. In addition to her academic background, she has extensive experience in government, civil, and humanitarian work. She served as the Vice President of the Supreme National Authority for Combating Corruption and participated in several high-level international conferences and meetings to represent Yemen and Yemeni women. In 2005, she founded the Umum Foundation for Cultural Development, which has since worked to support women's political participation.

In 2005, Balqees also established the Awam Foundation for Development and Culture, which has worked since then in supporting women in political participation. From the start of the 2015 war, Balqees has established the Union of Civil Society Organizations, which focuses on relief and humanitarian aid. 

Balqees powerfully contributed to the establishment of a number of women's networks and alliances that worked to support the rights of women and youth during Yemen's transition. During the period of the National Dialogue, she led several external advocacy campaigns with the assistance of various civil society organizations to enhance the voice of women at the conference. She is currently working on supporting the political process and building peace in Yemen; She attended three rounds of peace negotiations in Kuwait, Geneva, and Sweden. Balqees was recently selected to be a member of the Women's Advisory Group of the UN Envoy to Yemen.