Esther Beckley

Esther Beckley is a Visiting Research Fellow at the International Institute of Social Studies (ISS), part of the Academic staff unit. She holds a PhD from the University of Malta (2024) and has expertise in peacebuilding, gender studies, and postconflict development in Africa. Her work focuses on indigenous women's peace practices in Liberia and the DRC, and she advises the Maltese Ministry for Foreign Affairs on Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) policies. She contributed to Malta's first National Action Plan (NAP) on WPS (2020-2024), serving as an academic member of its oversight committee.

Education:

• PhD: Beyond Liberal Peacebuilding: Talking and Reimagining Peace with Women in Liberia and the DRC (University of Malta, 2024)
• Master: Conflict, Displacement, and Girl-Child Education in West Africa (University of Malta)
• Bachelor: New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) (Redeemer's University)

Research Interests: Beckley's work bridges academic and policy spaces, emphasizing feminisms in peacebuilding, DDR programs, and the gendered impacts of conflict. She advocates for indigenous knowledge systems in postconflict reconstruction and critiques neoliberal peacebuilding frameworks. Her policy consultancy extends to SDG alignment, particularly in education and gender equality.

Publications: Her recent research examines WPS frameworks and DDR in West Africa, with a focus on gendered violence and reintegration challenges for female ex-combatants. These studies highlight the intersection of education and empowerment in postconflict societies.

Advising & Grants: While no formal advisees are listed, her policy work with the Maltese government and oversight of NAP implementation reflects her advisory role. Funding details are not specified in the text.

Labs/Teams: Collaborates through ISS networks and the NAP oversight committee, focusing on policy translation of academic research into actionable frameworks for gender-inclusive peacebuilding.