Dr. Linda Darkwa is an academic–practitioner whose career bridges teaching, research, and applied policy on peace, security, governance, and human rights in Africa. She holds a PhD in Human Rights in Political Science from the Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna in Pisa, Italy, an LLM in International Human Rights Law from the University of Nottingham, and an MA in International Affairs from the University of Ghana’s Legon Centre for International Affairs and Diplomacy (LECIAD). As a Senior Research Fellow at LECIAD, Dr. Darkwa has taught postgraduate and doctoral courses since 2006, including International Relations, Gender and International Relations, International Law (MA and PhD), International Humanitarian Law, Research Methods, and Issues in Contemporary International Law. Her academic career has been complemented by specialised training at Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna (2003) in human rights and civilian crisis management, and at Uppsala University’s Department of Peace and Conflict Research (2008), where she obtained a diploma in Peace and Security. Dr. Darkwa is also a seasoned trainer and facilitator, having designed and delivered courses at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) on conflict analysis, mediation, preventive diplomacy, crisis information management, integrated peace support operations, small arms and light weapons, security sector reform, rule of law, and protection of civilians. She has also facilitated training for the ECOWAS Parliament and provided curriculum development support to AU, UNITAR, International IDEA, UPEACE Africa, and several training institutions across the continent. Her contributions include revising the Senior Mission Leaders curriculum for the AU, developing a Political Campaign Workbook for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, and co-developing courses on mediation, negotiation, and human rights for diplomats, parliamentarians, and peacekeepers. Beyond academia and training, Dr. Darkwa is a Consultant to the Training for Peace (TfP) Programme, through which she provides strategic policy advice to the AU’s Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security (PAPS) on peace support operations, gender, and post-conflict reconstruction. She was appointed in 2022 as a member of the Expert Group reviewing the AU’s Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development (PCRD) Policy, and in 2025 was invited as a thematic and technical expert to support the High-Level Review of the AU’s governance, peace and security frameworks. She has also played a direct role in AU field and policy processes. In 2017, she was invited to the Technical Needs Assessment Mission to The Gambia, mandated by the AU Peace and Security Council, and has supported the AU Commission in developing several strategic concepts. Earlier, she contributed to the revision of the AU’s Senior Mission Leaders training manual (2015).
In addition to her AU work, Dr. Darkwa has collaborated extensively with the United Nations, including as a consultant for the Department of Peace Operations (DPO). She co-authored the UN–AU Joint Planning Guidelines for Peace Support Operations (2023), conducted the Lessons Learned Study for UNAMID (2021), and authored a policy paper on leveraging military expenditure for the WPS agenda (2021–2022). She also has extensive field research and training experience in conflict and post-conflict contexts, including South Sudan, Sudan, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Somalia. These experiences enrich both her scholarship and her policy engagement. Dr. Darkwa contributes actively to international scholarly and policy networks. She serves on the Technical Committee of the Tana Forum, the editorial board of Contemporary Security Policy, and the Council on Foreign Relations (Ghana). She is also an Advisory Board Member of the Swedish Armed Forces International Centre (SWEDINT) and a Co-Convenor and Senior Fellow of IFG 9 – Sustainable Regional Peacebuilding at the Merian Institute for Advanced Studies in Africa (MIASA). Her dual identity as an academic and practitioner uniquely positions her at the intersection of research, policy, and practice. She remains committed to advancing Africa-centred approaches to peace and security that are both intellectually rigorous and operationally relevant.
Email: ldarkwa@ug,edu.gh.
Selected Publications
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Darkwa, Linda (2016), “Strategic Relations between the African Union and its Partners” in Cedric de Coning, Linnéa Gelot and John Karlsrud (eds), From Janjaweed to Boko Haram: Strategic Options for African Peace Operations, London: Zed Books 2016. Chapter 5 (Accepted for publication)
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Darkwa Linda (2015), “The African Union and the Phenomenon of Foreign Fighters in Africa” in A. de Guttry, F. Capone and C. Paulussen (eds), Foreign Fighters under International Law and Beyond.The Hague: T.M.C. Asses Press, 2015. Chapter 19
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Darkwa Linda, Enhancing Peace and Development through Compliance Monitoring: Lessons from Ghana’s 2013 SOTU Process in Journal of Peacebuilding and Development. Vol. 10, Issue. 3, 2015
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Darkwa Linda Winning the Battle and Losing the War: Child Rape in Post Conflict Liberia in The International Journal of Children’s Rights. 23 (2015) 790-817
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Darkwa Linda and Attuquayefio Philip, (2014) Analysis of Norm Diffusion in the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States, African Conflict and Peacebuilding Review, Issue 2, Volume 4, pp. 11- 37.