Kristen Meagher

Kristen Meagher is a Research Officer at the School of Security Studies, King’s College London, concurrently pursuing a PhD. She manages the NIHR-funded Research for Health Systems Strengthening in northern Syria (R4HSSS) project and previously coordinated the Research for Health in Conflict in the Middle East and North Africa (R4HC-MENA). She co-leads the Women Leaders in Health and Conflict initiative, focusing on gender equity in health systems within conflict zones. Kristen holds a Master’s in International Law and Politics from the University of Canterbury, New Zealand, and conducts country-of-origin research for organizations supporting asylum seekers.

Her research interests center on gender dynamics, health systems resilience, and forced migration in conflict areas. She has published extensively on topics including women’s leadership roles in healthcare governance, cross-border healthcare access, and gender-responsive pandemic responses. Kristen’s work challenges patriarchal norms in health systems and advocates for inclusive leadership frameworks to enhance health system sustainability in conflict-affected regions.

Her PhD research examines how women’s leadership can strengthen health systems in northwest Syria, addressing systemic gender disparities through mixed-methods analysis. This research intersects global health, gender equity, and peacebuilding, aiming to influence policy reforms by international organizations and donors.