Helena Afonso was born in Mozambique in 1967. She holds a degree in Law from the Faculty of Law of the University of Lisbon (1985–1990) and a postgraduate degree in European Studies from the European Institute of the same Faculty. She began her career as a lawyer and subsequently held technical and management positions at various levels within the Public Administration. She also served as an adviser to members of the Government. She joined the Ombudsperson’s Office in 2019 as an Adviser and has served as Secretary-General since February 2023.