Prof. Honwana is an authority on child soldiers in Africa. Born in Mozambique, she holds degrees from universities in Maputo, Paris and London and has been lecturing in Mozambique, South Africa and United States.
Prof. Honwana has recently accepted the position of chair holder to the Prince Claus Chair in Development and Equity for the period 2007-2008. Since December 2005, Prof. Honwana has been Director of the International Development Center of the Open University in England.
Before joining the Open University, she worked for the Social Science Research Council in New York, where she directed the Children and Armed Conflict Program and the Africa Program. Prof. Honwana also worked as a United Nations Program Officer in the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children in Armed Conflict in New York. She has been also Coordinator of the International Research Network on Children and Armed Conflict, member of the Board of the Council for the Development of Social Research in Africa (CODESRIA) and member of the Board of Directors of the African Studies Association in United States.
Prof. Honwana is the author of numerous publications on children’s involvement in armed conflicts.