Yuliia Matviienko joined the Basel Institute on Governance in April 2025 as a Programme Officer, based in Ukraine.

Yuliia is a governance and political development specialist with over 10 years of experience in programme coordination, gender equality and civic engagement. She has worked extensively with international donors and local stakeholders to strengthen democratic institutions, promote inclusive political participation and build local capacities. Her expertise spans results-based programme management, gender mainstreaming, small grants administration and stakeholder engagement.

Prior to joining the Basel Institute, Yuliia spent seven years at the National Democratic Institute (NDI) in Ukraine, most recently as a Senior Programme Officer. She led the design and implementation of donor-funded programmes to support political parties' development, promoting women’s political leadership and enhancing local governance. She also contributed to political party programming, strengthened monitoring and evaluation systems, and supported hundreds of women and underrepresented groups in preparing for local elections.

Previously, Yuliia headed a civil society organisation focused on community engagement and youth leadership. She also worked with the Secretariat of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, where she monitored and responded to gender-based discrimination and promoted legal compliance with equality standards.

Yuliia holds a Master of Law from the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, where she also completed an interdisciplinary Anti-Corruption Studies Certificate Programme. She is an alumna of several international youth and democracy initiatives, including the World Forum for Democracy and the Open University of Reforms.