Fanta Sadibou Koné is a founding member of Actions and Research on Peace Operations in Mali (AROP Mali). She has worked in the development and humanitarian field on conflict management, protection of civilians and humanitarian access. She has worked for international NGOs on the protection of civilians and the humanitarian engagement of armed groups, conflict prevention and management in the Sahel, education and child protection as well as resiliency and food security. She has held positions as deputy director, program and consortium coordinator and project manager. In addition to French, she is fluent in English and Spanish.

Fanta is also a research consultant on women, peace and security issues; conflict prevention and management in the Sahel; and youth and women's empowerment. She is a member of various networks including Women Mediators of Mali and the Central African Republic, the Regional Platform of Women in Security Sector Reform/Mali and the Working group on Women, Youth, Peace and Security in West Africa and the Sahel (WGWYPS-WAS).

IVLP Impact Award Project: Peace Circle: Breaking the Chain of Hatred and Violence 

The project "Peace Circle: Breaking the Chain of Hatred and Violence" increased the participation of women in conflict prevention and management activities in the Koulikoro region and helped to improve social cohesion and reduce conflicts, specifically inter- and intra-community conflicts. It established a network of forgiveness and friendship, which is helping to break the chain of hatred and violence in communities.

In total, three training sessions and seven awareness-raising sessions were held. The women of the project organized an event on GBV for the 16 days of activism, which gathered 100 women in Koulikoro. This led to their participation in regional activities such as the days of activism against gender-based violence organized by the Regional Direction of the Promotion of Women Children and Family and to additional discussions on conflict management in communities. The project exceeded its goal of increasing women's participation in awareness-raising activities on conflict prevention, from 7 women at baseline to 43 women at the final evaluation. The project also trained Peace Circle focal points on social cohesion, conflict prevention and resolution, and GBV and conflicts, who in turn trained 15 members of their Peace Circles in their communities and participated in local conflict prevention activities.

“Many people know me now because of the meetings we held in the municipalities. There is an acknowledgment of my role in conflict resolution in the community.” - Project participant

IVLP Exchange Experience 

Fanta was a participant in the IVLP Project A Global Moment in Time - Peace and Justice, organized by the U.S. Department of State and the Institute of International Education.

Fanta's exchange experience led to the development of her IVLP Impact Award Project: "The discussion with representatives of Days of Dialogue and the Los Angeles County Human Relations Commission on creating dialogue among diverse social groups, the visit to the Rose Andom Center and the in-person meeting with other people from so many different countries and backgrounds made me realize that the smallest change starts with what we are doing every day in our countries."

U.S. Communities Visited

Denver, CO; Washington, DC; Miami, FL

Country: Mali

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