Elizabeth Laruni

Elizabeth has extensive experience of research and designing research methodologies, specifically on gender sensitivity and conflict sensitivity. Her thematic focus considers the intersection between gender, conflict and violence, particularly how improving the socio-economic status of women and addressing the root causes of gender-based violence can lead to more peaceful societies.  

In her current role and as Conflict Sensitivity and Gender Lead within International Alert’s Conflict Hub, she provides technical advisory support in gender and conflict analysis and sensitivity across Alert’s programming and to external clients, including USAID and the Mines Advisory Group (MAG). This includes: developing a conflict sensitivity framework for MAG; offering guidance on how to effectively integrate conflict sensitivity into MAG’s work programmatically and institutionally; training MAG staff on the conflict sensitivity risks of working with non-state armed actors; integrating conflict sensitivity into gender baseline assessments; and managing research on peace and conflict analysis in four municipalities in Honduras for USAID.

Elizabeth has also provided training on gender mainstreaming and conflict and gender sensitivity for research teams in Africa, the Middle East, South America and the South Caucasus, and has led research projects on sexual exploitation and abuse in the mining sector in South Africa.

She holds a PhD in African History and a Masters in Kurdish studies from the University of Exeter. She also undertook a two-year postdoctoral fellowship at the Makerere Institute of Social Research in Uganda, where she taught postgraduate classes on analysing sources and research methodologies.