Ilse Roels has a master's degree in religious studies (University of Leuven) and in political science - option international relations (University of Louvain-la-Neuve) and graduated as a higher secondary school teacher. 

After working in the migration sector in Belgium, she worked for many years in Haiti in international cooperation, first as a human rights advisor and trainer and then as a project coordinator for 11.11.11, Caritas and Join for Water. 

She is currently working as pedagogical coordinator of the federal programme for global citizenship education within Enabel.