Cynthia Chigwenya

Cynthia Chigwenya is a political researcher and pracademic with experience in policy making. Her advocacy is grounded in research, and she has worked at think tanks and published on topical issues, including climate finance in emerging market economies and security sector governance. She holds a B.Soc.Sci in Criminology and International Studies, a BA (Hons.) and an MA in Development Studies (Wits); with dissertations focussing on transitional justice in post-genocide Rwanda, Zimbabwe’s peacebuilding mechanisms and conflict mediation in South Sudan. She is a TEDx speaker, recognised as one of the Most Influential People of African Descent (MIPAD) global 100 under 40 awardee in Politics and Governance; and has spoken at various symposia, including the EU-AU Summit. In 2023, she briefed the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on future-proofing trust for peacebuilding. Cynthia previously held research positions in the South African Parliament and at the National Genocide Commission in Rwanda. From 2022-2024, she served as the African Union’s Youth Ambassador for Southern Africa and worked as a coordinator of the political dialogue programme for Sub-Saharan at the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung until February 2025. Cynthia currently sits on the Youth Advisory Council of the Roméo Dallaire Institute for Child, Peace, and Security, supporting initiatives aimed at ending the recruitment and use of children in armed violence.