Lesley Connolly is the Regional Policy and Advocacy Manager at Nonviolent Peaceforce, where she leads the organisation’s engagement with the African Union and regional bodies to advance unarmed civilian protection (UCP) and community-centred approaches to peace and security. Based in Nairobi, Lesley works to bridge the gap between grassroots protection efforts and continental policy processes, with a focus on strengthening civilian components in AU peace operations. Prior to this role, she served as Team Leader of Global Policy at the Life & Peace Institute, where she was part of the conceptualisation of and led the organisation’s global policy engagement, including establishing its presence in New York to influence UN policy on peacebuilding and conflict prevention. She has also held positions at the International Peace Institute and ACCORD, with work spanning Liberia, Madagascar, Sudan, and Somalia.
Originally from South Africa, Lesley has spent the past decade living and working across the continent and in New York. She holds a Master’s in International Relations Law from New York University and a Master’s in Social and Transitional Justice from the University of Cape Town.
