Dr. Charles Wratto is an accomplished research scientist with more than 6 years experience in conflict analysis, systemic peacebuilding, post-war recovery, negotiation and mediation, design and implementation of early warning signs and prevention of child recruitment.

As a former Liberian child soldier with firsthand experience of conflict realities, he has extensive field experience working in conflict and post-conflict regions surveying child soldiers and war-affected population in Guinea, Ivory Coast, South Sudan, Liberia, Northern Mali, Sierra Leone and Northern Nigeria.

Fighting another cruel battle to survive as a refugee, he left for Mali, where he met Belemina Obunge, a Nigerian national who took him in as a son. Through Obunge’s help, Charles finished grade school. He went on to obtain his BS in International Relations, MA in Crisis and Conflict Management, and received his PhD in Conflict Analysis and Management at the Babes-Bolyai University in Romania. He also works as a teaching assistant at the Babes-Bolyai University.

Charles actively pursues human rights and sustainable security campaigns and he helped train over 2,000 former child soldiers in peacebuilding across Sub-Saharan Africa. He has interviewed State and non-state military/rebel leaders including members of Boko Haram, Ansar Dine, and Mujao, etc., UN and African Unions’ Peacekeepers, refugees, NGOs workers including traditional and religious leaders in extreme conflict environments.

He has experience working with a wide range of local partners and stakeholders, and in managing complex partnerships with local and regional authorities. He also has extensive experience in project management focused on community, woman, youth, and child development. In particular, projects dedicated to Women and Youth Empowerment through economic and social reforms, child safety and vocational education (7+ years).

​Charles has an in-depth knowledge on business management and developmental techniques applied to the context of humanitarian and project management: strategic planning, proposal writing, partnership development, donors relations, negotiation, staff and organizational management resulting to several pilot projects aim at self-reliance in urban and rural communities. He has communicated complex data and ideas in a manner leading to 5 journal publications, and 20 conference presentations across four continents.

He received the 2018 Global Peace Ambassador Award that was presented by the Center for Peace Studies, Sir Lanka on the occasion of World Peace Day. In receiving the recognition, he was joined by His Excellency Mahinda Rajapaksha, the Former President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, along with a distinguished group of recipients from around the globe.