Awino Okech

Dr. Awino Okech has for the last twelve years been involved in social justice transformation work in Eastern Africa, the Great Lakes region, and South Africa. Dr. Okech’s work has focused on women’s rights in conflict and post conflict societies, security sector governance and governance more broadly. She has supported the work of a number international and inter-governmental organisations in these areas, most notably: acting as lead researcher for Niger and Burkina Faso in a UNECA commissioned study on “Causes and Consequences of conflict in the Sahel” in 2015, serving as the lead drafter for the African Union’s Operational Guidelines on Gender and Security Sector Reform in 2014 and supporting UNDP’s Somaliland Civilian Police Programme review their police reform work in Hargeisa in 2012.

Dr. Okech contributes to knowledge production and transfer through an adjunct teaching position with the African Leadership Centre at Kings College London where she co-convenes the Gender Leadership and Society module as part of the MSc in Security, Leadership and Society. Her publications include among others: Women and Security Governance in Africa (2011) co-edited with ‘Funmi Olonisakin; “Dealing with Asymmetrical Conflict: Lessons from Kenya” in Special Issue of Strategic Review of Southern Africa, 1/2015; “Gendered security: Between ethno-nationalism and constitution making in Kenya” in Olonisakin, ‘Funmi, Hendricks, Cheryl and Okech, Awino (eds), 2013. Africa Peace and Conflict Journal. UPEACE; “Niger and Counter-Insurgency in the Sahel: Critical Actor or Crisis State”’ (forthcoming); “Theatre for Peace: Reflections on Amani Peoples Theatre Model” with Michael Owiso (forthcoming). Dr Okech serves on the editorial advisory board of Feminist Africa, a peer reviewed journal produced by the African Gender Institute at the University of Cape Town and is a member of the African Security Sector Network a pan African network of scholars and policy advocates working in the area of security sector reform.