Dr. Linda Darkwa is an academic–practitioner specialising in peace, security, governance and human rights in Africa. She holds a PhD in Human Rights in Political Science and works at the intersection of research, policy and practice. As Consultant Coordinator of the Training for Peace Programme, she provides strategic policy advice to the African Union on peace support operations, governance, gender and post-conflict reconstruction. She has worked extensively with the United Nations and African Union, including co-authoring the UN–AU Joint Planning Guidelines for Peace Support Operations and conducting the UNAMID Lessons Learned Study. Her scholarship covers regional security governance, African peace operations, humanitarian intervention and Women, Peace and Security. Drawing on policy and field experience in conflict and post-conflict settings, her work advances Africa-centred approaches to peace and security grounded in scholarly rigour and operational experience.