Cynthia Fonta

Cynthia Fonta is a Postdoctoral Researcher working on the IIASA–SALDRU Human Capital for Sustainable Development Project. Her research examines how the quantity and quality of education influence population wellbeing and long-term development outcomes. She is currently investigating the effects of free pre-primary education policies on early enrolment and the pathways through which schooling improves children's learning and cognitive development. She also applies advanced demographic tools to examine how improvements in maternal human capital affect child survival and educational outcomes. Her broader research interests lie at the intersection of education, health, child poverty, and socioeconomic inequalities in development outcomes. Prior to joining SALDRU, she completed a PhD in health and wellbeing at the University of Bristol, funded by the South-West Doctoral Training Partnership, focusing on child poverty and deprivation across Africa. She trained as a Public Health Specialist at the School for Public Health in Ghana before pursuing a PhD. Before her research journey, Cynthia worked in clinics as a general practitioner in remote communities in Nigeria and Burkina Faso. Her multidisciplinary skills across African countries enable her to provide context-informed evidence for policymaking.