Claudia Lopes is the Human Rights & Gender Justice Programme Manager at the Heinrich Böll Foundation’s Cape Town office, leading research and advocacy to strengthen the state’s response to gender-based violence (GBV) and femicide while partnering with organisations doing critical work in the GBV and LGBTQI+ rights sectors. Claudia joined the Foundation in 2011, bringing a background in direct victim support in South Africa and the UK. A women’s rights activist, she has worked in the violence against women sector for more than 20 years. She holds a Master’s degree in Criminology and Law from the University of Cape Town.