Professor Cheryl Hendricks is the Executive Director of the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation (IJR). She brings extensive experience in conflict management, peacebuilding, and gender and security, with a particular focus on Africa. Prior to joining IJR, she held senior roles at the Africa Institute of South Africa within the Human Sciences Research Council and served as Professor and Head of the Department of Politics and International Studies at the University of Johannesburg. She has also worked with the Institute for Security Studies, the Centre for Conflict Resolution, and the University of the Western Cape. Prof Hendricks holds a PhD in Government and International Relations from the University of South Carolina and a Master’s in Southern African Studies from the University of York. A widely published scholar, she actively engages policymakers, researchers, and civil society on issues of women, peace and security, and African regional security.