Fatouma Zara Ali Abdou is President of a local NGO, Action Against Women Begging (Action Contre la Mendicité des Femmes (ACMEF), a partner of the USAID-funded Sahel Human Voice in Governance Activity (SHIGA). She is also a member of the Young Volunteers for the Environment (JVE), the United Nations Youth Leaders Organizations (ROJALNU ODD-Niger) and the Gender Based Violence (GBV) platform established by the Belgian civil society support program.

Under Fatouma's leadership, ACMEF has conducted advocacy actions on behalf of gender-based violence victims with local officials and communities, advocating for better prosecution of perpetrators of gender-based violence, as well as additional support and protection for victims. Fatouma has also represented her organization at several training sessions and conferences on the promotion of the leadership of girls and women, concepts of gender and gender-based violence, and legal instruments for the rights of women. In 2019, she was the Zinder regional winner of a business planning competition organized by a World Bank Project and the Niger Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIN).

IVLP Impact Award Project: Cyberviolence: Stop Violence through ICTs (Information and Communication Technology) and Social Networks

The project supported women and girls who are victims of gender-based violence (GBV) in the town of Zinder, Niger. The mobile application “STOP GBV” was launched to serve as a guide to prevent and detect forms of harassment and violence so that victims can contact guidance centers. A focus group was organized on gender-based violence prevention mechanisms and how young activists can contribute to the fight against cyber violence against women.  A 24-day advocacy campaign included visits to local schools and conducting workshops which reached more than 1,200 people. Participants were taught about the different forms of gender-based violence and its negative impacts.

IVLP Exchange Experience 

Fatouma participated in the IVLP Project Ending Gender-Based Violence, organized by the U.S. Department of State and Meridian International Center in partnership with San Diego Diplomacy Council, Colorado, Utah Council for Citizen Diplomacy, Colorado Springs World Affairs Council, Global Ties Miami and WorldChicago.

Fatouma's exchange experience led to the development of her IVLP Impact Award Project: "My experiences [during the] IVLP program really allowed me to [develop] this ​​project in order to bring [about] change in my country, Niger."

U.S. Communities Visited

San Diego, CA; Colorado Springs, CO; Washington, DC; Miami, FL; Chicago, IL; Salt Lake City, UT

Country: Niger 

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