Manuela Colombini

Dr. Manuela Colombini is an Associate Professor in Health Systems, Policy, and Gender-Based Violence at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), within the Department of Global Health and Development and the Faculty of Public Health and Policy. She co-directs LSHTM’s Gender Violence and Health Centre (GVHC) and leads the gender-based violence theme at the Centre for Maternal Adolescent and Child Health (MARCH). Her work focuses on health systems responses to gender-based violence (GBV), particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), integrating feminist theories and health policy frameworks.

Her research explores how health systems can better address violence against women (VAW) through service integration, policy implementation, and intervention design. Notable projects include evaluating One Stop Crisis Centres (WHO collaboration), assessing the impact of lockdowns on VAW service provision in South Africa, and studying intersections between VAW and violence against children in the Middle East. She has led studies in Brazil, Palestine, Nepal, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Kenya, and Malaysia.

Dr. Colombini’s teaching roles include Project Content Director for the Distance Learning Master in Health in Humanitarian Crises and Module Organiser for courses on Health Policy, Process and Power. She also contributes to training programs for tropical nursing and gender-based violence research.

Her professional engagements include advisory roles with the WHO, UNICEF, and the Sexual Violence Research Initiative. Awards include Honorary Fellow (2018–2024) and Honorary Lecturer (2017–2019). Her work emphasizes translating evidence into actionable policies, with a focus on vulnerable populations and health equity.