Hilary Matfess is a Ph.D. Candidate in Yale University's Political Science Department and a 2020-2021 United States Institute for Peace (USIP) Peace Scholar Fellow. Her research focuses on the gendered dynamics of conflict. Hilary has previously published on women's roles in Boko Haram, the role of bride price in catalyzing recruitment into armed groups, the use of female suicide bombers by armed groups, women's contributions to community based-armed groups, and the characteristics of Boko Haram and al Shabaab's violence targeting women. Her first book, Women and the War on Boko Haram: Wives, Weapons, Witnesses, was published in 2017 by Zed Books. She holds a master's degree from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) and a bachelor's degree from the Johns Hopkins University, where she was a Hodson Trust Scholar. 

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What to Watch in Sub-Saharan Africa in 2021

From escalating conflicts in Ethiopia and Mozambique to a China-Africa relationship characterized by vaccine distribution and debt forgiveness, the CSIS Africa Program previews some of the top stories to watch in sub-Saharan Africa in 2021.

Commentary by Yemi Adamolekun Lina Benabdallah and Will Brown Maria E. Burnett Emilia Columbo Mvemba Phezo Dizolele Hilary Matfess Rafiq Raji Jon Temin Laird Treiber Judd Devermont Marielle Harris Kyle Murphy — January 12, 2021

Why the #EndSARSNow Movement Swept Nigeria’s South

#EndSARSNow protests have largely taken place in southern Nigeria. CSIS Senior Associate Hilary Matfess explains why, pointing to the concentration of police abuse against civilians in the country’s south.

Commentary by Hilary Matfess — December 9, 2020