Milena Kadieva is a committed human rights lawyer with 15+ years of active engagement with vulnerable women and girls, including Roma and Turkish minority. Apart from managing the Gender Alternatives Foundation, she leads strategic litigation cases against Bulgaria, thus impacting governmental policies under pressure from international institutions like CEDAW and the EU Court of Human Rights.

Kadieva's latest strategic case is noteworthy: It was on a case concerning long-term domestic violence against a woman and passivity on the part of the police, social services, and the court, which further persecuted the victim and her children. Institutions refused to accept the repetends of the violence and did nothing to protect her. As a result, in August 2019, the CEDAW Committee issued 11 recommendations for Bulgaria - among which to ratify the Istanbul Convention and change the legislation, starting with the recognition of gender-based violence as a human rights violation. Kadieva and her team are keen advocates for the aforementioned Istanbul Convention, thus working hard to promote it despite threats and online attacks.